What is the 20th term of the sequence that begins −3, 6, −12, 24…?

Answer 1

To find the 20th term of the sequence, it is helpful to first analyze the pattern in the sequence.

Looking at the sequence, we can see that each term alternates between being positive and negative. Additionally, each term is twice the absolute value of the previous term.

-3 * 2 = -6
6 * 2 = 12
-12 * 2 = -24

Therefore, the pattern is that each term alternates between being negative and positive, and the absolute value of each term doubles compared to the previous term.

To find the 20th term of the sequence, we need to first determine the sign of the 20th term. Since the sequence starts with a negative term, and the sign alternates, the 20th term will be negative.

Next, we calculate the absolute value of the 20th term:

|-3| * 2^19 = 3 * 524288 = 1572864

Since the 20th term is negative, the 20th term of the sequence is -1572864.