How can you differentiate between a geometric sequence and an arithmetic sequence

An arithmetic sequence increases at a constant rate.

A good example is multiples of 3

3 6 9 12 15 18

Each number equals the next number by a difference of three.

A good example of a geometric sequence is the powers of 2

2 4 8 16 32 64 128

Here, you see, the difference between the numbers is constantly increasing.

An arithmetic sequence is a sequence with the difference between two consecutive terms constant. The difference is called the common difference. A geometric sequence is a sequence with the ratio between two consecutive terms constant.