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If the mthm^{\text{th}} term of an arithmetic progression is 1n\frac{1}{n} and the nthn^{\text{th}} term is 1m\frac{1}{m}, then the mnthmn^{\text{th}} term of this progression will be

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 4

Given:

am=1na_m = \frac{1}{n} and an=1ma_n = \frac{1}{m}

From arithmetic progression formula:

a+(m−1)d=1na + (m-1)d = \frac{1}{n} ...(1)

a+(n−1)d=1ma + (n-1)d = \frac{1}{m} ...(2)

Subtracting (2) from (1):

(m−n)d=1n−1m(m-n)d = \frac{1}{n} - \frac{1}{m}

(m−n)d=m−nmn(m-n)d = \frac{m-n}{mn}

d=1mnd = \frac{1}{mn}

Substituting back in (1):

a+(m−1)1mn=1na + (m-1)\frac{1}{mn} = \frac{1}{n}

a=1n−m−1mna = \frac{1}{n} - \frac{m-1}{mn}

For mnthmn^{th} term:

amn=a+(mn−1)da_{mn} = a + (mn-1)d

=[1n−m−1mn]+(mn−1)1mn= [\frac{1}{n} - \frac{m-1}{mn}] + (mn-1)\frac{1}{mn}

=mnmn=1= \frac{mn}{mn} = 1

Therefore, the mnthmn^{th} term is 1.

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