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Graphing the Terms of a Sequence In Exercises \(27-32,\) use a graphing utility to graph the first 10 terms of the sequence. (Assume that \(n\) begins with \(1 . )\) $$ a_{n}=\frac{2 n}{n+1} $$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The graph would show that as \(n\) increases, the values of \(a_n\) converge to \(2\). Each \(a_n\) point lies on the line \(y = \frac{2n}{n+1}\), for \(n\) from \(1\) to \(10\).

Step by step solution

01

Understand the sequence formula

The first step is to understand the given formula, \(a_{n}=\frac{2 n}{n+1}\). In this formula, \(a_n\) represents the terms of the sequence where \(n\) is the term number. There is a dependence on \(n\) in both the numerator and the denominator.
02

Substitute Values for n

Substitute the first 10 values for \(n\) in the sequence formula \(a_{n}=\frac{2 n}{n+1}\). For example, for first term when \(n=1\), \(a_1\) becomes \(\frac{2(1)}{1+1} = 1 \). Repeat this process for \(n\) from \(2\) to \(10\). As a result, the sequence of terms from \(a_1\) to \(a_{10}\) will be obtained.
03

Graph the Sequence Terms

After identifying the sequence terms, plot each term on the graph using \(n\) as the x-coordinate and \(a_n\) as the y-coordinate. Each point will correspond to a term in the sequence.
04

Analyze the Graph

Observe the graph and identify any patterns or trends. In this case, the terms in the sequence will appear to approach a certain value, indicating the sequence is converging.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Sequence Convergence
Understanding the concept of sequence convergence is fundamental when you encounter sequences in mathematics. It's about detecting whether the terms of the sequence are getting closer to a particular value as you move to higher and higher term numbers.

Looking at the given sequence formula, \(a_{n}=\frac{2n}{n+1}\), you can observe that as \(n\) grows larger, the value of \(\frac{2n}{n+1}\) gets closer to 2. This is because the addition of 1 to \(n\) becomes less significant compared to the value of \(2n\) as \(n\) increases. Thus, we say that the sequence 'converges' to 2. Visually, if you were to graph the terms of the sequence, the points would approach the horizontal line \(y=2\), but never quite touch it.

To better understand convergence, consider the difference between consecutive terms as you substitute larger values for \(n\). The differences diminish, illustrating the sequence’s journey toward its limit. This behavior indicates that if we continued to plot the terms of the sequence to infinity, they would form an ever-closer approach to the horizontal asymptote, a line that the graph of a function approaches but never touches.
Numerical Substitution
The technique of numerical substitution is a powerful tool for understanding sequences, and it involves replacing the variable \(n\) in the sequence formula with actual numbers to find the terms of the sequence. To practice this, you begin with the first term, where \(n=1\), and substitute that value into the formula, thus calculating \(a_1\).

With our sequence, \(a_{n}=\frac{2n}{n+1}\), let’s substitute the first term: for \(n=1\), \(a_1=\frac{2\times1}{1+1}=1\). You repeat this for the next nine terms, incrementing \(n\) each time. This exercise helps visualize how each term is generated and provides a concrete way to grasp the abstract concept of a sequence. Through numerical substitution, you can also start seeing the pattern of convergence that was discussed in the previous section.

Remember, you're substituting finite values for \(n\), which helps to grasp the short-term behavior of the sequence. However, convergence concerns the long-term behavior as \(n\) approaches infinity, which is why graphical representation is often used in conjunction.
Graphing Utility
A graphing utility is an indispensable tool in modern mathematics education. It allows students and educators to visualize relationships and patterns within sequences and other mathematical concepts much easier. When graphing the terms of a sequence, the graphing utility enables you to plot each term as a point on a coordinate grid, revealing the overall trend or direction of the sequence.

In the exercise, utilizing a graphing utility to plot the first 10 terms of \(a_{n}=\frac{2n}{n+1}\), with \(n\) as the x-coordinate and \(a_n\) as the y-coordinate, helps identify the behavior of the sequence. After plotting these points, the tool can depict a curve or straight line that can convey the convergence trend observed in the numerical substitution step. The utility may allow for even further exploration — such as zooming out to envision what happens as \(n\) grows very large, or inputting a larger set of values for \(n\) to affirm the convergence towards 2.

Modern graphing utilities often include features that make them versatile for a variety of functions, such as tracing points on the graph, setting different x- and y- scales, and even calculating the exact coordinates of specific points. Integrating technology like a graphing utility into learning not only makes the process of understanding mathematical concepts like sequence convergence more intuitive but also equips students with practical skills for their further studies.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Child Support The amounts \(f(t)\) (in billions of dollars) of child support collected in the United States from 2002 through 2009 can be approximated by the model $$f(t)=-0.009 t^{2}+1.05 t+18.0, \quad 2 \leq t \leq 9$$ where \(t\) represents the year, with \(t=2\) corresponding to \(2002 .\) (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) (a) You want to adjust the model so that \(t=2\) corresponds to 2007 rather than \(2002 .\) To do this you shift the graph of five units to the left to obtain \(g(t)=f(t+5) .\) Use binomial coefficients to write \(g(t)\) in standard form. (b) Use a graphing utility to graph \(f\) and \(g\) in the same viewing window. (c) Use the graphs to estimate when the child support collections exceeded \(\$ 25\) billion.

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Graphical Reasoning In Exercises 83 and \(84,\) use a graphing utility to graph \(f\) and \(g\) in the same viewing window. What is the relationship between the two graphs? Use the Binomial Theorem to write the polynomial function \(g\) in standard form. $$f(x)=-x^{4}+4 x^{2}-1, \quad g(x)=f(x-3)$$

Probability In Exercises \(85-88,\) consider \(n\) independent trials of an experiment in which each trial has two possible outcomes: "success" or "failure.". The probability of a success on each trial is \(p,\) and the probability of a failure is \(q=1-p .\) In this context, the term \(_{n} C_{k} p^{k} q^{n-k}\) in the expansion of \((p+q)^{n}\) gives the probability of \(k\) successes in the \(n\) trials of the experiment. To find the probability that the sales representative in Exercise 87 makes four sales when the probability of a sale with any one customer is \(\frac{1}{2},\) evaluate the term 8 $$_{4}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{4}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^{4}$$ in the expansion of \(\left(\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}\right)^{8}\)

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