Topic: Calculating the first terms

Question: Write the first five terms of the sequence and find the limit.

4n 2 + 1
an = 2
n − 2n + 3

lim an
n→∞

Answer choices:

5 17 37 65 101
A , , , , and lim an = 3
2 3 4 5 6 n→∞

7 17 37 67 107
B , , , , and lim an = 0
2 3 6 11 18 n→∞

5 17 37 65 101
C , , , , and lim an = 4
2 3 6 11 18 n→∞

5 17 37 65 101
D , , , , and lim an = DNE
2 3 6 12 18 n→∞

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Solution: C

To get the first five terms of the sequence, just plug n = 1, 2, 3, 4 into the
formula for an+1 as follows.

4(1)2 + 1 5
n=1 a1 = a1 =
(1)2 − 2(1) + 3 2

4(2)2 + 1 17
n=2 a2 = a2 =
(2)2 − 2(2) + 3 3

4(3)2 + 1 37
n=3 a3 = a3 =
(3)2 − 2(3) + 3 6

4(4)2 + 1 65
n=4 a4 = a4 =
(4)2 − 2(4) + 3 11

4(5)2 + 1 101
n=5 a5 = a5 =
(5)2 − 2(5) + 3 18

The first five terms of the sequence are

5 17 37 65 101
, , , ,
2 3 6 11 18

To find the limit of the sequence, divide both the numerator and
denominator by the highest power of n.

1
2
4n + 1 n2
lim an = lim
n→∞ n→∞ n 2 − 2n + 3 1
n2

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 4n 2 1
+
n2 n2
lim an = lim
n→∞ n 2n 3
2
n→∞ − +
n2 n2 n2

1
4+
n2
lim an = lim 2 3
n→∞ n→∞ 1− n
+
n2

4+0
lim an =
n→∞ 1−0+0

lim an = 4
n→∞

Therefore, the limit of the series is 4.

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Topic: Calculating the first terms

Question: Write the first five terms of the sequence and find the limit.

en
an = 2
n

lim an
n→∞

Answer choices:

e e2 e3 e4 e5
A , , , , and lim an = 3
2 4 9 16 25 n→∞

e2 e3 e4 e5
B e, , , , and lim an = DNE
4 9 16 25 n→∞

e3 e4 e5 e6
C e, , , , and lim an = 4
9 16 25 36 n→∞

e2 e3 e4 e5
D e, , , , and lim an = 0
2 3 4 5 n→∞

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Solution: B

To get the first five terms of the sequence, just plug n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 into the
formula for an as follows.

e1
n=1 a1 = 2 a1 = e
1

e2 e2
n=2 a2 = 2 a2 =
2 4

e3 e3
n=3 a3 = 2 a3 =
3 9

e4 e4
n=4 a4 = 2 a4 =
4 16

e5 e5
n=5 a5 = 2 a5 =
5 25

The first five terms of the sequence are

e2 e3 e4 e5
e, , , ,
4 9 16 25

To find the limit of the sequence, apply L’Hospital’s rule twice by replacing
the numerator and denominator with their derivatives.

en
lim an = lim 2
n→∞ n→∞ n

en
lim an = lim
n→∞ n→∞ 2n

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 en
lim an = lim
n→∞ n→∞ 2

lim an = ∞
n→∞

Therefore, the limit of the series does not exist (DNE).

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Topic: Calculating the first terms

Question: Write the first three terms of the sequence.

an = 2n

Answer choices:

A 2, 8 and 16

B 2, 4 and 8

C 4, 8 and 12

D 2, 4 and 6

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Solution: B

To get the first three terms of the sequence, just plug n = 1, 2, 3 into the
formula for an as follows.

n=1 a1 = 21 a1 = 2

n=2 a2 = 22 a2 = 4

n=3 a3 = 23 a3 = 8

The first three terms of the sequence are

2, 4, 8

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