document.write( "Question 346582: Hello I seem to be stuck at this problem.
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document.write( "I'm not to sure how to write it as the n and n-1 are subscripts.
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document.write( "Show that an = Sn – Sn-1 \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #247769 by Theo(13342)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! You can use brackets, or you can use parentheses. \n" ); document.write( "parentheses are easier to write. \n" ); document.write( "brackets are more formal. \n" ); document.write( "i'll use parentheses.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "formula is a(n) = S(n) - S(n-1) where () means sub.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In general, S(n) = a(1) + a(2) + ........ a(n-1) + a(n)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In general S(n-1) = a(1) + a(2) + ........a (n-1)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If you subtract one from the other, you are left with a(n) because all of the a's from a(0) to a(n-1) cancel out.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "a(1) - a(1) = 0 \n" ); document.write( "a(2) - a(2) = 0 \n" ); document.write( "a(n-1) - a(n-1) = 0 \n" ); document.write( "a(n) - 0 = a(n)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "nothing left but a(n).\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "there's a more formal proof that can be done, but it's more complicated to go through and not worth the effort unless you absolutely have to do it that way.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for your purposes, this shows that it's true and should be sufficient.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you can then cover with examples:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "let a1 = 5 and let d = 7 (d = common difference in arithmetic sequence).\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "s(7) = 5 + 12 + 19 + 26 + 33 + 40 + 47 = 182\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "s(8) = 5 + 12 + 19 + 26 + 33 + 40 + 47 + 54 = 236\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "s(8) - s(7) = 236 - 182 = 54\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |