May 04, 2016

Input

Output

First
Term

5th
Term

Sequence Notation:

74th
Term

last term
nth Term
(previous
(current term)
term)

2 terms ago

Translate the following statements into

sequence notation:
1) The first term is 1994
2) The tenth term is
3) To find any new term, we take the old term
and double it
4) To find any term, we multiply the index by 4
and add 3.

May 04, 2016

Recursive Definition
A formula that requires the computation of all previous terms
to find the value of an. (You must have the previous term to
find the next!)
Example:

The first term of a sequence is 5.

To find the NEW term, take the OLD term
and add 2.
___,___,___,___,...

Find a7

Explicit (Closed) Definition

A formula that allows the direct computation of any term for a
sequence a1, a2, a3,...an,.... (You do not have to have the
previous term!)

Example:

To find the nth term, multiply

the index by 2 and add 3.
___,___,___,___,...

Find a7

May 04, 2016

Arithmetic

Geometric

Recursive

an=an-1+d

an=r(an-1)

Explicit

an=a1+(n-1)d an=a1rn-1

May 04, 2016

Determine if the sequence is arithmetic,

geometric or neither. If it is
arithmetic, find the common difference.
2) 68, 55, 42, 29...
1) -5, 10, -20, 40,...
3) 3, 6, 9, 12....

4) 5.6, 7.1, 8.6, 10.1...

5) 2, 4, 8, 16....

6)110 ,55, 27.5, 13.75

May 04, 2016

Given the explicit, find the terms named:

Arithmetic
1) an=3+5n, find a1 and a24

2) an=-58-4n, find a1 and a29

Geometric
1) an=5n-1

Find a1 and a12

2) an=-1.5(3)n-1

Find a1 and a8

May 04, 2016

Given the 1st term and the

common difference, find the first
three terms, the recursive formula and the
explicit formula.

1) a1=32 and d=7

3) a1=3.2 and d=4.7

2) a1=-22, d=-3

4) a1=-79 and d=14

May 04, 2016

Given the recursive formula for a

geometric sequence, find the
common ratio, the first three terms,
and the explicit formula.
2) an=an-1(-3)
1) an=(5)an-1 a1=4

a1=-2

May 04, 2016

Given the first term and the common ratio of a

geometric sequence, find the first three terms
and the explicit formula.
1) a1=.9, r= 7
2) a1=25, r=2.5