document.write( "Question 1203500: What is the general term of -1,2,-4,8,-16 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #839117 by Edwin McCravy(20056)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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document.write( "General terms for sequences are not unique.  How about this general term:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5Bn%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827n%5E4-306n%5E3%2B1197n%5E2-1878n%2B968%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "It's more complicated, but it works:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5B1%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A1%5E4-306%2A1%5E3%2B1197%2A1%5E2-1878%2A1%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A1-306%2A1%2B1197%2A1-1878%2A1%2B968%29%7B%7B%7B%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827-306%2B1197-1878%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%288%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"-1\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5B2%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A2%5E4-306%2A2%5E3%2B1197%2A2%5E2-1878%2A2%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A16-306%2A8%2B1197%2A4-1878%2A2%2B968%29%7B%7B%7B%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%28432-2448%2B4788-3756%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%28-16%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"2\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5B3%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A3%5E4-306%2A3%5E3%2B1197%2A3%5E2-1878%2A3%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A81-306%2A27%2B1197%2A9-1878%2A3%2B968%29%7B%7B%7B%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%282187-8262%2B10773-5634%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2832%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"-4\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5B4%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A4%5E4-306%2A4%5E3%2B1197%2A4%5E2-1878%2A4%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A256-306%2A64%2B1197%2A16-1878%2A4%2B968%29%7B%7B%7B%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%286912-19584%2B19152-7512%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%28-64%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"8\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"a%5B5%5D\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A5%5E4-306%2A5%5E3%2B1197%2A5%5E2-1878%2A5%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2827%2A625-306%2A125%2B1197%2A25-1878%2A5%2B968%29%7B%7B%7B%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%2816875-38250%2B29925-9390%2B968%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"expr%28-1%2F8%29%28128%29\"\"%22%22=%22%22\"\"-16\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "I gave this only as an enrichment example for you.  This is not the general term\r\n" );
document.write( "your teacher expected you to give.  The other tutors gave you that one.  This is\r\n" );
document.write( "just to show you that there are more than one general term for any given finite\r\n" );
document.write( "number of terms of a sequence.\r\n" );
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document.write( "If you calculate the 6th term using this general term, you will find it to be\r\n" );
document.write( "-211, not 32, which is what you will get as the 6th term using the general term\r\n" );
document.write( "for a geometric sequence.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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