Understanding sequences

[Probability]

Hi, I am new to maths and want the opportunity to learn the subject, but some typed info in the maths books is not making some maths clear for me to understand!


Looking at sequences, I understand that a1, a2,a3 etc are terms and the integers are called subscripts. If I had a question that asked me to find a value of say n = 2, and a list of sequences were given, then I could work this out to be t2 =12, if this was a temperature scale say.


What I am failing to understand at the moment is what to do with questions like U1 = -4


If I had to find the first five terms of this, what does the 1 signify and do I work from left to right and say U1 =- 4,U2 = -3,U3 = -2,U4 = -1,U5 = 0

Have I got the right idea?

 

[12-year-old-poet]

to be honest probability, I am not quite sure what you are asking. Could you be more clear on the question?

 

[Probability]

to be honest probability, I am not quite sure what you are asking. Could you be more clear on the question?

The above I posted refer to recurence relation which are arithmetic sequences. so U1 = -4

What would be the first five terms of this sequence?

Did I do it right previously?

 

[pka]

The above I posted refer to recurence relation which are arithmetic sequences. so U1 = -4. What would be the first five terms of this sequence? Did I do it right previously?

I also have no idea what you OP means.
Here is some notation. If you don't want use LaTex, at least type U_1 for subscripts and x^2 for superscripts.

But this looks much better [TEX]U_1=-4[/TEX] gives \(\displaystyle U_1=-4\).

If these are recursive sequencers you must give the starting point \(\displaystyle U_1\) and the rule say \(\displaystyle n>1,~U_n=U_{n-1}+1.\)

Now please start over and redo the post.

 

[Probability]

I also have no idea what you OP means.
Here is some notation. If you don't want use LaTex, at least type U_1 for subscripts and x^2 for superscripts.

But this looks much better [TEX]U_1=-4[/TEX] gives \(\displaystyle U_1=-4\).

If these are recursive sequencers you must give the starting point \(\displaystyle U_1\) and the rule say \(\displaystyle n>1,~U_n=U_{n-1}+1.\)

Now please start over and redo the post.

Yes you are correct I should use latex, but I didn't think about it just registering on the forum;-)

U_1 = - 4 (n = 1, 2, 3...)

I thought;

U_1 = - 4
U_2 = - 3
U_3 = - 2
U_4 = - 1
U_5 = 0

These being the first five terms of the sequence

 

[pka]

U_1 = - 4 (n = 1, 2, 3...)

I thought;

U_1 = - 4
U_2 = - 3
U_3 = - 2
U_4 = - 1
U_5 = 0
These being the first five terms of the sequence

The part in red makes no sense.

The terms is blue are terms of the sequence \(\displaystyle U_1=-4~\&~n\ge 2,~U_n=U_{n-1}+1\).

 

[Probability]

A google search on "arithmetic sequences" would have clarified everything!
You'll get helpful sites like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj_X9JVSF8k

Thank you for the U Tube I never thought about that

To the other members who I managed to confuse very well, please accept my applogies as I am learning this for the first time