Final answer:
The first term of the arithmetic sequence is -16, and the recursive formula is b(n) = b(n-1) - 5 with a common difference of -5.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking for the first term and the recursive formula of an arithmetic sequence. Looking at the sequence given (-16, -21, -26), we can identify the first term b(1), which is -16. Furthermore, to find the recursive formula, we observe that each term is 5 less than the previous term, which indicates the common difference d is -5. The recursive formula for an arithmetic sequence is b(n) = b(n-1) + d. Substituting -5 for d, the recursive formula becomes b(n) = b(n-1) - 5.