Find the Term-to-Term Rule: Analyzing Sequence 2, 5, 8

Question

What is the term-to-term rule for the sequence below?

2,5,8 2,5,8\ldots

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Find the sequence formula

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve for the term-to-term rule of the sequence 2,5,8,2, 5, 8, \ldots, follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the First Term and Common Difference
The first term a1a_1 of the sequence is 22.
To find the common difference dd, subtract the first term from the second term: 52=35 - 2 = 3.
Thus, the common difference dd is 33.

Step 2: Derive the Formula for the nn-th Term
Since the sequence is arithmetic, use the general formula for an arithmetic sequence:
an=a1+(n1)d a_n = a_1 + (n-1) \cdot d
Substitute the known values, a1=2a_1 = 2 and d=3d = 3:
an=2+(n1)3 a_n = 2 + (n-1) \cdot 3
Simplify the expression:
an=2+3n3a_n = 2 + 3n - 3
Combine like terms:
an=3n1a_n = 3n - 1

Step 3: Verify the Formula
Check the derived formula an=3n1a_n = 3n - 1 with the terms given in the sequence:
- For n=1n = 1, a1=3×11=2a_1 = 3 \times 1 - 1 = 2 (matches the first term).
- For n=2n = 2, a2=3×21=5a_2 = 3 \times 2 - 1 = 5 (matches the second term).
- For n=3n = 3, a3=3×31=8a_3 = 3 \times 3 - 1 = 8 (matches the third term).

Therefore, the term-to-term rule for the sequence is an=3n1a_n = 3n - 1.

Answer

an=3n1 an=3n-1