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Determine whether the sequence below is a geometric sequence and, if so, find a formula that describes the sequence. 1, 3, 9, 27, 81,...

2 Answers

6 votes

This is a geometric sequence.


from 1-3 one is multiplied by three

from 3-9 three is multiplied by three

from 9-27 nine is multiplied by three

and from 27-81 27 is multiplied by three


Hope this helped!!

|Sophia M|

User Josh Fell
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2 votes

a geometric sequence is a bunch of numbers where you can get from a number to the next number by multiplying the previous number by a certain number

might be confusing so here's an example

1,2,4,8,16

each term is multiplied by 2 to get next term, that number that each term is multiplied by is called the common ratio

formula for geometric sequence is


a_n=a_1(r)^(n-1)

where
a_n is nth term


a_1 is first term

r is teh common ratio

n=which term


in our example

1,3, 9, 27, 81

each term is being multiplied by 3 so it is a geometric sequence and thus r=3

also first term is 1 so
a_1=1

so the formula is
a_n=1(3)^(n-1) or in function notation
f(n)=1(3)^(n-1)

User Damian Drygiel
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