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Stompy · 10-27-2004, 12:40 PM

I need to find a formula for the general term of the sequence using:

{5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 1 ... }

I've thought about this problem in the back of my head as I'm working here... and I can't figure this one out.

The only thing I can think of is

If (-1)^n = -1 then 5
if (-1)^n = 1 then 1

...but none of our answers have ever been conditional like that and I don't think that's what he's lookin for.

These problems suck. There's absolutely no method or formula you can use to find out the function, yet they'll give you 5 of these on a 15 minute test an expect you to just mysteriously come up with some wacky equation to fit it.

10-27-2004, 12:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stompy Banned from being Banned Location: Donkey	Calc II: Sequences and Series I need to find a formula for the general term of the sequence using: {5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 1 ... } I've thought about this problem in the back of my head as I'm working here... and I can't figure this one out. The only thing I can think of is If (-1)^n = -1 then 5 if (-1)^n = 1 then 1 ...but none of our answers have ever been conditional like that and I don't think that's what he's lookin for. These problems suck. There's absolutely no method or formula you can use to find out the function, yet they'll give you 5 of these on a 15 minute test an expect you to just mysteriously come up with some wacky equation to fit it. __________________ I love lamp.