SOLUTION: im confused on how rto wokr this sequence out 0,14, 52, 126, 248 i have tried n cubed but cannot find the answer?

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Question 158587: im confused on how rto wokr this sequence out
0,14, 52, 126, 248
i have tried n cubed but cannot find the answer?

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm confused on how to work this sequence out
0, 14, 52, 126, 248
I have tried n cubed but cannot find the answer?
t%5B1%5D=0, t%5B2%5D=14, t%5B3%5D=52, t%5B4%5D=126, t%5B5%5D=248

First we make a difference table by subtracting 
each adjacent pair, placing the difference between
and below each pair.  Then doing the same thing
again until the numbers are all the same:

         0     14     52   126   248 
            14     38    74   122  
               24     36    48 
                   12    12

It takes 3 lines before the differences are the same, 12.

Therefore we must assume a 3rd degree polynomial:

t%5Bn%5D+=+An%5E3+%2B+Bn%5E2+%2B+Cn+%2B+D

When n = 1:

t%5B1%5D+=+A%281%29%5E3+%2B+B%281%29%5E2+%2B+C%281%29+%2B+D
0+=+A+%2B+B+%2B+C+%2B+D
A+%2B+B+%2B+C+%2B+D=0

When n = 2:

t%5B2%5D+=+A%282%29%5E3+%2B+B%282%29%5E2+%2B+C%282%29+%2B+D
14+=+8A+%2B+4B+%2B+2C+%2B+D
8A+%2B+4B+%2B+2C+%2B+D=14

When n = 3:

t%5B3%5D+=+A%283%29%5E3+%2B+B%283%29%5E2+%2B+C%283%29+%2B+D
52+=+27A+%2B+9B+%2B+3C+%2B+D
27A+%2B+9B+%2B+3C+%2B+D=52

When n = 4:

t%5B4%5D+=+A%284%29%5E3+%2B+B%284%29%5E2+%2B+C%284%29+%2B+D
126+=+64A+%2B+16B+%2B+4C+%2B+D
64A+%2B+16B+%2B+4C+%2B+D=126 

 

Do you know how to solve a system of
4 equations in 4 unknowns? If not post again
asking how.

Answer:  A=2, B=0, C=0, D=-2

So t%5Bn%5D+=+An%5E3+%2B+Bn%5E2+%2B+Cn+%2B+D becomes

t%5Bn%5D+=+2n%5E3+%2B+0n%5E2+%2B+0n+-+2 or

t%5Bn%5D+=+2n%5E3+-2

Edwin