RECURRENCE

RELATIONS
• Specified sequences by providing explicit formulas for
their terms
Recurrence Relations
• A recurrence relation for the sequence {an} is an
equation
• that expresses an in terms of one or more of the
previous terms of the sequence,
• namely, a0, a1, . . . , an−1,
• for all integers n with n ≥ n0
• EXAMPLE

• an = an−1 + 3 for n = 1, 2, 3, . . . ,
• and suppose that a0 = 2.
Recurrence Relations
• EXAMPLE

• an = an−1 + 3 for n = 1, 2, 3, . . . ,
a0 = 2.
• and suppose that

• What are a1, a2, and a3?

• a1 = a0 + 3 = 2 + 3 = 5
• a2 = a1 + 3 = 5 + 3 = 8
• a3 = a2 + 3 = 8 + 3 = 11.
Recurrence Relations
• EXAMPLE

• an = an−1 − an−2 for n =2, 3, 4, . . . ,

a0 = 3 and a1 = 5.
• and suppose that
• What are a2 and a3?

• a2 = a1 − a0 = 5 − 3 = 2 and
• a3 = a2 −a1 = 2 − 5 = −3
Recurrence Relations
Special Integer Sequences
Kth term
Double summations
1 + 3 + 5+· · ·+(2n − 1) = n2
• BASIS STEP:
• P(1) states that the sum of the first one odd positive
integer is 12.
• This is true because the sum of the first odd positive integer is 1.
The basis step is complete.

• INDUCTIVE STEP:
• P(k) → P(k + 1) is true for every positive integer k.
• Put n=k
• 1 + 3 + 5+· · ·+(2k − 1) = k2.
1 + 3 + 5+· · ·+(2n − 1) = n2
• INDUCTIVE STEP:
• P(k) → P(k + 1) is true for every positive integer k.
• Put n=k+1
• 1 + 3 + 5+· · ·+(2k − 1) + (2k + 1) = (k + 1)2.