document.write( "Question 1020460: Your help will be appreciated thanks!
\n" ); document.write( "Let a(1)=5. Define a(n) to be (a(n-1))/2 if a(n-1) is even, 3a(n-1)+1 if a(n-1) is odd for all other natural numbers n. What is the fourth term of the sequence? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #636351 by Theo(13342)\"\" \"About 
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a.1 = 5\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "if a.n-1 is even, then a.n = a.n-1 / 2.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "if a.n-1 is odd, then a.n = 3 * a.n-1 + 1.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "i'm using the convention that a.n is equal to a sub n which is equal to a[n] which is equal to an\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "we have a.1 = 5.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "since a.1 is odd, then a.2 = 3 * a.1 + 1 = 3 * 5 + 1 = 16.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "since a.2 is even, then a.3 = a.2 / 2 = 16/2 = 8.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "since a.3 is even, then a.4 = a.3 / 2 = 8/4 = 4.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "i believe the fourth term is equal to 4, based on this logic.\r
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