Final answer:
The sequence that correctly represents an arithmetic sequence with a common difference of -3 is 43, 40, 37, 34, 31 since each term decreases by 3 from the previous term, matching the definition of an arithmetic sequence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sequence that represents an arithmetic sequence with a common difference d = -3 is 43, 40, 37, 34, 31:
An arithmetic sequence is a sequence of numbers in which the difference between consecutive terms is constant. This difference is referred to as the common difference. To identify an arithmetic sequence with a common difference of d = -3, we look for a pattern where each term is reduced by 3 from the previous term.
Let's evaluate the given options: 144, 48, 18, 6, 2 – The differences here vary, so this is not arithmetic. 24, 21, 18, 15.5 – This sequence does not have a constant difference as the last interval is only -2.5, not -3. 3, -9, 27, -81, 243 – This appears to be a geometric sequence, not arithmetic. 43, 40, 37, 34, 31 – This sequence decreases by 3 each time, which matches the common difference of -3 we are looking for.