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Is the pattern, -4,-3,0,5, linear, quadratic, or exponential

User Kymone
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1 Answer

4 votes

Answer: Quadratic

Step-by-step explanation

The original sequence is: -4, -3, 0, 5

The gap between adjacent terms is: 1, 3, 5

This new sequence is arithmetic (or linear) with common difference 2, which shows the original sequence is quadratic.

The nth term of the original sequence can be generated with this formula: n^2-2n-3

For example, to get the 4th term we plug in n = 4

n^2-2n-3

4^2-2*4-3

16-8-3

5

Therefore, n^2-2n-3 = 5 when n = 4. This matches with the fact that 5 is the fourth term. I'll let you check the other terms.

User Drew Gaynor
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