Math, asked by celesteescobar118, 9 months ago

A sequence is defined recursively using the formula . If the first term of the sequence is 120, what is f(5)?

−15
−7.5
7.5
15

Answers

Answered by mahak8744
42

Answer:

answer is written below with explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

A sequence is defined recursively using the formula f (n + 1) = –0.5 f(n). If the first term of the sequence is 120, what is f(5)?

Your question can be rewritten as:

A sequence is defined recursively as follows:

If n = 1, then f(n) = 120

Else if n > 1, then f(n) =-.5f(n-1) . What is f(5)?

Here are three ways to get the answer:

(I) using hand calculations:

f(1) = 120

f(2) = -.5f(1) = -.5(120) = -60

f(3) = -.5f(2) = -.5(-60) = 30

f(4) = -.5f(3) = -.5(30) = -15

f(5) = -.5f(4) = -.5(-15) = 7.5

Therefore the 5th term of the sequence is 7.5

A derived formula from method (I) is :

f(n) = (-.5)^(n-1)*120 for n > 1.

(II) using the derived formula:

f(5) = (-.5)^4*120 = 7.5

(III) using a python (2.7) program with a recursive function:

print "Program To Find The 5th Term of a Sequence Defined Recursively:"

print " f(1) = 120, and f(n) = -.5f(n-1) for n > 1."

def f(n):

if n == 1:

return 120

else:

if n > 1:

return -.5*f(n-1) # Recursive call to f().

print""

print "Your answer is: ", f(5)

The program output:

Program To Find The 5th Term of a Sequence Defined Recursively:

f(1) = 120, and f(n) = -.5f(n-1) for n > 1.

Your answer is: 7.5

Of course, you can modify the program to find any term of the sequence

Answered by Anonymous
13

answer is written below with explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

A sequence is defined recursively using the formula f (n + 1) = –0.5 f(n). If the first term of the sequence is 120, what is f(5)?

Your question can be rewritten as:

A sequence is defined recursively as follows:

If n = 1, then f(n) = 120

Else if n > 1, then f(n) =-.5f(n-1) . What is f(5)?

Here are three ways to get the answer:

(I) using hand calculations:

f(1) = 120

f(2) = -.5f(1) = -.5(120) = -60

f(3) = -.5f(2) = -.5(-60) = 30

f(4) = -.5f(3) = -.5(30) = -15

f(5) = -.5f(4) = -.5(-15) = 7.5

Therefore the 5th term of the sequence is 7.5

A derived formula from method (I) is :

f(n) = (-.5)^(n-1)*120 for n > 1.

(II) using the derived formula:

f(5) = (-.5)^4*120 = 7.5

(III) using a python (2.7) program with a recursive function:

print "Program To Find The 5th Term of a Sequence Defined Recursively:"

print " f(1) = 120, and f(n) = -.5f(n-1) for n > 1."

def f(n):

if n == 1:

return 120

else:

if n > 1:

return -.5*f(n-1) # Recursive call to f().

print""

print "Your answer is: ", f(5)

The program output:

Program To Find The 5th Term of a Sequence Defined Recursively:

f(1) = 120, and f(n) = -.5f(n-1) for n > 1.

Your answer is: 7.5

Of course, you can modify the program to find any term of the sequence

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