First we observe the pattern a(1)=1 a(2)=7 a(3)=13 a(4)=19 a(5)=25 a(6)=31 a(7)=37 a(8)=43 a(1) = 1 <--the first term a(2) = 7 = 1+6 = a(1) + 6 <--to get the 2nd term, add 6 to the 1st term. a(3) = 13 = 7+6 = a(2) + 6 <--to get the 3rd term, add 6 to the 2nd term. a(4) = 19 = 13+6 = a(3) + 6 <--to get the 4th term, add 6 to the 3rd term. a(5) = 25 = 19+6 = a(4) + 6 <--to get the 5th term, add 6 to the 4th term. a(6) = 31 = 25+6 = a(5) + 6 <--to get the 6th term, add 6 to the 5th term. a(7) = 27 = 31+6 = a(6) + 6 <--to get the 7th term, add 6 to the 6th term. a(8) = 43 = 37+6 = a(7) + 6 <--to get the 8th term, add 6 to the 7th term. So if we have a(2) = a(1) + 6 a(3) = a(2) + 6 a(4) = a(3) + 6 a(5) = a(4) + 6 a(6) = a(5) + 6 a(7) = a(6) + 6 a(8) = a(7) + 6 We notice that the red numbers go 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. So they could be represented by the letter n We notice that the blue numbers go 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Since they are always 1 more than the red numbers, they could be represented by n+1 So each equation above could be represented by a(n+1) = a(n) + 6 A recursion formula consists of a part to get the sequence started and an equation to tell how to get the next term from what went before. So the recursion formula is: a(1) = 1, a(n+1) = a(n) + 6 <--the recurstion formula This recursion formula tells us: The first term is 1, and the (n+1)th term is the nth term + 6. Edwin