Addis Ababa University

Department of Mathematics
Intoduction to Discrete Mathematics and Graph Theory
Worksheet II

Solve each of the following problems

1. Show that the sequence an = 3n is a solution of the recurrence relation an = 2an−1 − an−2 .

2. For each of the following recurrence relations, find an for n = 1, 2, 3, 4. Then solve the recurrence
relation:

(a) an = 3an−1 + 4an−2 , with initial values a0 = a1 = 1.

(b) an = an−2 , with a0 = a1 = 1.
(c) an = 2an−1 + an−2 − an−3 , with a0 = a1 = 1 and a2 = 2.

3. Solve the recurrence together with the initial conditions given.

(a) an = 5an−1 − 6an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 1, a1 = 0

(b) an = 4an−1 − 4an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 6, a1 = 8
(c) an = −4an−1 − 4an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 0, a1 = 1
(d) an = 4an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 0, a1 = 4
(e) an = an−1 + 6an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 3, a1 = 6
(f) an = −6an−1 − 9an−2 for n ≥ 2, a0 = 3, a1 = −3

4. Find the solution to

(a) an = 5an−1 − 8an−2 + 4an−3 for n ≥ 3, a0 = 1, a1 = 1 and a2 = 3.

(b) an = 2an−1 + an−2 − 2an−3 for n ≥ 3, a0 = 3, a1 = 6 and a2 = 0.
(c) an = 7an−2 + 6an−3 for n ≥ 3, a0 = 9, a1 = 10 and a2 = 32.
(d) an = 2an−1 + 5an−2 − 6an−3 for n ≥ 3, a0 = 7, a1 = −4 and a2 = 8.

5. Find the solutions of the recurrence relation.

(a) an = an−1 + n + 2, a0 = 0
(b) an = an−1 + 7n, a0 = 0
(c) an+1 = an − 1, a0 = 3
(d) an = an−1 + 3n−1 , a1 = 2

6. Some one deposits Birr 10, 000 in a savings account at a bank yielding 5% per year with interest
compounded annually. Find a recurrence relation and how much money will be in the account
after 30 years?