NYMC HSA+ RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS

NESTED RADICALS

How do we calculate the exact value of 𝟏+ 𝟏+ 𝟏+⋯?

Note the recursive rule is 𝑥! = 1 + 𝑥!!! .

Express your answers in simplest radical form. Also give decimal values to the nearest thousandth.

1. 2+ 2+ 2+⋯ 6. 3+ 3+ 3+⋯

2. 4+ 4+ 4+⋯ 7. 5+ 5+ 5+⋯

3. 6+ 6+ 6+⋯ 8. 10 + 10 + 10 + ⋯

4. 12 + 12 + 12 + ⋯ 9. 20 + 20 + 20 + ⋯

5. 30 + 30 + 30 + ⋯ 10. 𝑎+ 𝑎+ 𝑎+⋯
(find a formula in terms of a)
NYMC HSA+ RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS
Express your answers in simplest radical form. Also give decimal values to the nearest thousandth.

11. 4+3 4+3 4+⋯

19. 8 27 8 27 …

12. 16 + 15 16 + 15 16 + ⋯
20. 2 5 2 5 …

13. 9+6 9+6 9+⋯

21. 𝑎 𝑏 𝑎 𝑏 …
14. 25 + 5 25 + 5 25 + ⋯
(find a formula in terms of a and b)

15. 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+⋯ ! ! ! !

(find a formula in terms of a and b) 22. 10 10 10 10 …

(find a formula in terms of n

for n = 2, 3, 4, 5, …)
16. 2− 2+ 2− 2+⋯
! ! !
23. 4 4 4…

17. 7 7 7 7 … ! ! !
24. 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥…
(find a formula in terms of x)

18. 𝑦 𝑦 𝑦 𝑦 …
! ! !
25. 2 2 2 2 …
(find a formula in terms of y)
(cf. Taylor Series)
KEY
!! !" !! !" !! !" !! !"
1. 2 2. ≅ 2.562 3. 3 4. 4 5. 6 6. ≅ 2.303 7. ≅ 2.791 8. ≅ 3.702
! ! ! !

!! !!!! !!! !
9. 5 10. 𝑎+ 𝑎+ 𝑎+⋯= 11. 4 12. 16 13. 3 + 3 2 ≅ 7.243 14. ≅ 6.036
! !

!! !! !!! !!!
15. 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+⋯= 16. ≅ 0.618 17. 49 18. 𝑦 𝑦 𝑦 𝑦 … = 𝑦 ! 19. 144
! !

! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! !! ! !⋯
20. 2 50 ≅ 7.368 21. 𝑎 𝑏 𝑎 𝑏 … = 𝑎 𝑎𝑏 ! 22. 10 10 10 10 … = 10 ! !! = 10 !!!

! ! ! !
! ! !! ! !⋯
= 2!!! ≅ 3.290
! !
23. 2 24. 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥… = 𝑥 25. 2 2 2 2 … = 2 !! !!
NYMC HSA+ RECURSIVE FUNCTIONS
CONTINUED FRACTIONS
FINITE PERIODIC INFINITE
RATIONALS IRRATIONALS NON-PERIODIC
IRRATIONALS

𝑒 = 2, 2, 1, 1, 4, 1, 1, 6, 1, 1, 8, 1, 1 …
(add two every three terms)

𝜋 = 3, 7, 15, 1, 292, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1 …
(no pattern)

3
= 0, 2, 3 19 = 4, 2,1,3,1,2,8
7

Simplify the following expressions. Also give exact decimals, or irrationals to the nearest thousandth.
! !
26. 2, 3, 5, 2 = 2 + ! 32. 3, 3, 3, 3, … = 3 = 3 + !
!! ! !!
!!! !!⋯

!
! 33. 2, 3, 3, 3, … = 2, 3 = 2 +
27. 2, 3, 1, 4 = 2 + ! !!
!
!!⋯
!! !
!!!

!
!
34. 𝑛, 𝑛, 𝑛, 𝑛, … = 𝑛 = 𝑛 + !
!!
28. 4, 2, 6, 7 = 4 + ! !!⋯
!! !
!!! (find a formula for metallic means in terms of n)

! !
29. 1, 1, 1, 1, … = 1 = 1 + ! (purely periodic) 35. 1, 3, 2 = 1 + !
!! !! !
!!⋯ !! !
!!
!!⋯
!
30. 2, 2, 2, 2, … = 2 = 2 + ! !
!!
!!⋯ 36. 6, 2, 2, 12 = 6 + !
!! !
!! !
!"! !
!
31. 1, 2, 2, 2, … = 1, 2 = 1 + ! (periodic) !!
!!
!
!! !"!⋯
!!⋯

KEY
𝟖𝟏 𝟒𝟑 𝟒𝟏𝟓 !! !
26. = 2.3142857 27. ≅ 𝟐. 𝟐𝟔𝟑 28. ≅ 𝟒. 𝟒𝟔𝟐 29. 𝜑 = ≅ 1.618 (the golden mean between 1 and 2)
𝟑𝟓 𝟏𝟗 𝟗𝟑 !
!! !"
32. 𝛿! = 1 + 2 ≅ 2.414 (the silver mean between 2 and 3) 30. 2 ≅ 1.414 31. ≅ 3.303 (the bronze mean between 3 and 4)
!
!! !" !! !! !! 𝟏𝟓
33. ≅ 2.303 34. 𝑛, 𝑛, 𝑛, 𝑛, … = (the metallic means between successive natural numbers) 35. 36. 41
! ! 𝟑