Finding the Explicit Formula of a Geometric Sequence: Example 2

Topic

Sequences and Series

Description

Methodology for Finding the Explicit Formula

1. Identify the First Term: The first term of the sequence is denoted as a_1.
2. Determine the Common Ratio: The common ratio r is found by dividing the second term by the first term.
3. Write the Explicit Formula: The nth term of a geometric sequence can be found using the formula:

a_n = a₁•r^{(n - 1)}

       where a_n is the nth term, a₁ is the previous term, r is the common ratio, and n is the term number.

Given Sequence

Sequence: [8, 16, 32, 64, 128]

First term (a₁) = 8

Common ratio (r) = 16 / 8 = 2

Explicit formula: a_n = 8•2^{(n - 1)}

For a complete collection of math examples related to Sequences and Series click on this link: Math Examples: Sequences and Series Collection.