Write an explicit formula ((an = a1 + (n - 1)d) for the given arithmetic sequence. Use your formula to find the 50th term of the sequence

an = _ + (n - 1) _
a50 = _ + (_ -1) _
a59 = _

1 answer

To write the explicit formula for an arithmetic sequence, we need to know the first term \( a_1 \) and the common difference \( d \). The general formula for the \( n \)-th term of an arithmetic sequence is:

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

Once we have specific values for \( a_1 \) and \( d \), we can plug them into the formula.

Example Sequence

Let’s say the first term is \( a_1 = 5 \) and the common difference \( d = 3 \).

Substituting into the formula:

\[ a_n = 5 + (n - 1) \cdot 3 \]

Now we can find the 50th term \( a_{50} \):

\[ a_{50} = 5 + (50 - 1) \cdot 3 \] \[ = 5 + 49 \cdot 3 \] \[ = 5 + 147 \] \[ = 152 \]

Now we can also calculate the 59th term \( a_{59} \):

\[ a_{59} = 5 + (59 - 1) \cdot 3 \] \[ = 5 + 58 \cdot 3 \] \[ = 5 + 174 \] \[ = 179 \]

Final Answers

  • \( a_n = 5 + (n - 1) \cdot 3 \)
  • \( a_{50} = 152 \)
  • \( a_{59} = 179 \)

If you have specific values for \( a_1 \) and \( d \) for your arithmetic sequence, please provide them, and I can adjust the calculations accordingly!