Chapter 9: Problem 30
Write the first five terms of the sequence. $$a_{1}=-30, a_{n}=\left(2+a_{n-1}\right)\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{n}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The first five terms are \(-30, -7, -\frac{5}{8}, \frac{11}{128}, \frac{267}{4096}\).
Step by step solution
01
Write down the first term of the sequence
The first term of the sequence is provided in the problem. It is \( a_1 = -30 \).
02
Use the recursion formula for the second term
To find the second term \( a_2 \), substitute \( n = 2 \) and \( a_1 = -30 \) into the formula: \[ a_2 = ig(2 + a_1ig) igg(\frac{1}{2}\bigg)^2 = ig(2 - 30ig) igg(\frac{1}{4}\bigg) = -28 \times \frac{1}{4} = -7 \] Thus, the second term is \( a_2 = -7 \).
03
Calculate the third term using the recursion formula
For the third term \( a_3 \), substitute \( n = 3 \) and \( a_2 = -7 \) into the formula: \[ a_3 = ig(2 + a_2ig) igg(\frac{1}{2}\bigg)^3 = ig(2 - 7ig) igg(\frac{1}{8}\bigg) = -5 \times \frac{1}{8} = -\frac{5}{8} \] Thus, the third term is \( a_3 = -\frac{5}{8} \).
04
Find the fourth term using the formula
For the fourth term \( a_4 \), substitute \( n = 4 \) and \( a_3 = -\frac{5}{8} \) into the formula: \[ a_4 = igg(2 + \frac{-5}{8} \bigg) \bigg(\frac{1}{2}\bigg)^4 = \bigg(\frac{11}{8}\bigg) \bigg(\frac{1}{16}\bigg) = \frac{11}{128} \] Thus, the fourth term is \( a_4 = \frac{11}{128} \).
05
Calculate the fifth term using the formula
For the fifth term \( a_5 \), substitute \( n = 5 \) and \( a_4 = \frac{11}{128} \) into the formula: \[ a_5 = igg(2 + \frac{11}{128} \bigg) \bigg(\frac{1}{2}\bigg)^5 = \bigg(\frac{267}{128}\bigg) \bigg(\frac{1}{32}\bigg) = \frac{267}{4096} \] Thus, the fifth term is \( a_5 = \frac{267}{4096} \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Sequence Terms
A sequence is essentially a list of numbers in a specific order where each term can follow a distinct pattern. Here, the given sequence begins with a number known as the first term. In this problem, the first term is provided directly: \( a_1 = -30 \). Knowing the initial term is crucial because, in recursive sequences like this one, each new term is derived from the previous one using a set formula. By understanding the significance of the initial terms, students can accurately generate other terms by using the recursive relation.
Recursive Sequence
A recursive sequence defines each term using the previous terms in the sequence. It's like building a tower where each level depends on the one directly below it. In this exercise, the sequence is specified recursively with the formula:
- \( a_n = \left(2 + a_{n-1}\right)\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n \)
Arithmetic Calculations
Arithmetic calculations are at the heart of finding each term in a recursive sequence. Each step involves:
- Substituting the previous term.
- Applying given constants and multipliers, such as \( 2 \) and \( \frac{1}{2} \) raised to the power of \( n \).
- Executing operations like addition and multiplication. For instance, for the term \( a_2 \), computations involve: \( \left(2 - 30\right) \times \frac{1}{4} = -28 \times \frac{1}{4} = -7 \).