Math Problem Statement

a sequence starts 1/2, 1/4, 1/8,... a. Give a rule tat the sequence could follow.

Solution

The sequence you provided is:

12,14,18,\frac{1}{2}, \frac{1}{4}, \frac{1}{8}, \ldots

To identify a rule that this sequence could follow, we observe that each term is half of the previous term.

Rule for the Sequence:

Each term in the sequence is obtained by multiplying the previous term by 12\frac{1}{2}.

Alternatively, you can express this sequence using the formula for the nnth term:

an=12na_n = \frac{1}{2^n}

where nn starts from 1.

Thus:

  • a1=121=12a_1 = \frac{1}{2^1} = \frac{1}{2}
  • a2=122=14a_2 = \frac{1}{2^2} = \frac{1}{4}
  • a3=123=18a_3 = \frac{1}{2^3} = \frac{1}{8}
  • And so on...

Would you like any more details or explanations?

Here are five related questions:

  1. What type of sequence is this, arithmetic or geometric?
  2. How would you find the 10th term in this sequence?
  3. What happens to the terms as nn increases indefinitely?
  4. Can you find the sum of the infinite series of this sequence?
  5. How would the rule change if the sequence started with 32\frac{3}{2} instead of 12\frac{1}{2}?

Tip: This sequence is an example of a geometric sequence, where each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a constant factor, known as the common ratio.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Sequences
Geometric Sequences

Formulas

Formula for nth term of a geometric sequence: a_n = a * r^(n-1)

Theorems

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Suitable Grade Level

Grades 7-9