SOLUTION: In a sequence, each term after the second is the sum of the two preceding terms. The first and fifth terms are each 3. What is the second term in the sequence?

Question 888598: In a sequence, each term after the second is the sum of the two preceding terms. The first and fifth terms are each 3. What is the second term in the sequence?
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
In a sequence, each term after the second is the sum of the two preceding terms. The first and fifth terms are each 3. What is the second term in the sequence

1st term = 3
2nd term = a
3rd term = 1st term + 2nd term = 3+a
4th term = 2nd term + 3rd term = a+(3+a) = a+3+a = 2a+3
5th term = 3rd term + 4th term = (3+a)+(2a+3) = 3+a+2a+3 = 3a+6, given = 3

So we have equation 3a+6 = 3
                      3a = -3
                       a = -1 

1st term = 3
2nd term = a = -1

Edwin

RELATED QUESTIONS
the first two terms of a sequence are 4 and 5, and each subsequent term is the sum of the (answered by Edwin McCravy)

find the seventh term of the sequence whose first two terms are 2 and 3 and each term... (answered by JulietG)

After the first two terms in the following sequence, each number is the sum of the... (answered by fcabanski)

Write the first four terms of a sequence in which the first term is 2 and each term is 6... (answered by checkley77)

Find the first ten terms of a sequence whose first two terms are u1= 1 and u2=2 and whose (answered by Fombitz)

In a sequence, each term after the first is four more than three times the pervious... (answered by Cromlix)

The first difference of a sequence is the arithmetic sequence 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ...... Find (answered by greenestamps,ikleyn)

After the first term, each term in a sequence is 3 greater than 1/3 of the preceding... (answered by Fombitz)

The first term in a sequence is 2 and every term after it is -2 times the preceding term. (answered by solve_for_x)