To find the 1st difference given the second and third terms, we'll follow these steps:
1. Identify the given terms:
- Second term: [tex]\( 3a \)[/tex]
- Third term: [tex]\( 8a - 3 \)[/tex]
2. Subtract the second term from the third term to find the 1st difference.
[tex]\[
\text{1st difference} = \text{third term} - \text{second term}
\][/tex]
3. Substituting the given terms into the subtraction:
[tex]\[
\text{1st difference} = (8a - 3) - (3a)
\][/tex]
4. Simplify the expression:
[tex]\[
\text{1st difference} = 8a - 3 - 3a
\][/tex]
5. Combine like terms:
[tex]\[
\text{1st difference} = 8a - 3a - 3
\][/tex]
[tex]\[
\text{1st difference} = 5a - 3
\][/tex]
Therefore, the 1st difference is [tex]\( 5a - 3 \)[/tex].
[tex]\[
\boxed{5a - 3}
\][/tex]
