SOLUTION: using the method of successive differences, find the 8th term: 4, 37, 180, 793, 2566, 6659, 14842

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Question 1079638: using the method of successive differences, find the 8th term: 4, 37, 180, 793, 2566, 6659, 14842

Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
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4		37		180		793		2566		6659		14842		29635
	33		143		613		1773		4093		8183		14793	
		110		470		1160		2320		4090		6610		
			360		690		1160		1770		2520			
				330		470		610		750				
					140		140		140					


See above. Forget about the colored values for the moment. Your first step is to write out the given sequence with spaces between each number. Then, in the next line, between each of the numbers in the line above, write the difference between the number above and to the right and the number above and to the left. For example, your first entry on the second line is 33 because that is the difference 37 minus 4. Continue the process until you have filled in all of the values in the second row. Examine the values in the second row. If they are not all the same, continue the process to create a third row. Keep going until you have a row where all of the values are the same -- like the fifth row in this example.

Next, add an additional entry to the last row. In this example, the red 140. Then add this new entry to the number above and to the left. Place the sum in the next open spot in the row above -- the red 750. Continue the process until you have entered a new term to the first row. In this example, the green 29635.

By the way, if you attempt this process and you end up with only one value left in your bottom row, you either have insufficient terms in your original series or perhaps you have made an arithmetic error.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it