Math Problem Statement

1,1/2,2,1/3,3,1/4,4… find the general term of this sequence

Solution

The given sequence is:

1,12,2,13,3,14,4,1, \frac{1}{2}, 2, \frac{1}{3}, 3, \frac{1}{4}, 4, \dots

Let’s first separate the sequence into two alternating parts:

  • Odd positions: 1,2,3,4,1, 2, 3, 4, \dots
  • Even positions: 12,13,14,\frac{1}{2}, \frac{1}{3}, \frac{1}{4}, \dots

Odd-indexed terms:

The terms at odd indices are integers that increase by 1:

1,2,3,4,1, 2, 3, 4, \dots

This can be represented by:

a2n1=na_{2n-1} = n

where nn is a positive integer.

Even-indexed terms:

The terms at even indices are fractions of the form:

12,13,14,\frac{1}{2}, \frac{1}{3}, \frac{1}{4}, \dots

This can be represented by:

a2n=1n+1a_{2n} = \frac{1}{n+1}

where nn is a positive integer.

General term:

To combine the odd and even terms into a single expression for the general term ana_n, we use a piecewise function based on whether nn is odd or even:

\begin{cases} \frac{1}{\frac{n+1}{2}} & \text{if } n \text{ is even} \\ \frac{n+1}{2} & \text{if } n \text{ is odd} \end{cases}$$ This is the general form for the sequence. Would you like further details or have any questions? --- **Related Questions:** 1. How can you find the sum of the first $$n$$ terms of this sequence? 2. How does the sequence behave as $$n$$ approaches infinity? 3. Can you derive a general rule for sequences alternating between integers and fractions? 4. How can we generalize this process for other types of alternating sequences? 5. What happens if we change the fractions in the even positions to a different progression? **Tip:** When working with alternating sequences, always look at each part separately to identify patterns.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Sequences
Piecewise Functions
Alternating Series

Formulas

a_n = \frac{1}{(n+1)/2} if n is even
a_n = (n+1)/2 if n is odd

Theorems

General term of an alternating sequence
Piecewise definition of sequences

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 9-12