Write an explicit equation and recursive equation for each arithmetic sequence. then find the indicated term.

a_(1) =2, d = 4, a_(8)

1 answer

To find the explicit and recursive equations for the given arithmetic sequence, we'll start with the information provided:

  1. The first term \( a_1 = 2 \).
  2. The common difference \( d = 4 \).

Explicit Equation

The explicit formula for an arithmetic sequence is given by:

\[ a_n = a_1 + (n - 1) \cdot d \]

Substituting the values we have:

\[ a_n = 2 + (n - 1) \cdot 4 \]

This simplifies to:

\[ a_n = 2 + 4(n - 1) = 2 + 4n - 4 = 4n - 2 \]

So, the explicit equation is:

\[ a_n = 4n - 2 \]

Recursive Equation

The recursive formula for an arithmetic sequence can be expressed as:

\[ a_n = a_{n-1} + d \]

We also need to specify the first term:

\[ a_1 = 2 \]

So, the recursive equation is:

\[ \begin{align*} a_1 &= 2 \ a_n &= a_{n-1} + 4 \quad \text{for } n > 1 \end{align*} \]

Finding \( a_8 \)

Now, we will find the 8th term \( a_8 \) using the explicit formula:

\[ a_8 = 4(8) - 2 = 32 - 2 = 30 \]

Thus, the 8th term \( a_8 \) is:

\[ \boxed{30} \]