Final answer:
To train for a marathon, Susie increments her daily running distance by half a mile each week. Using an arithmetic sequence formula, it's determined she'll reach 10 miles per day by week 17. However, the training pattern is not sustainable indefinitely due to physical limits and the need for recovery.
Step-by-step explanation:
Identifying Variables and Creating a Table
To approach the question of how Susie should train for her marathon, let us start by defining our variables and creating a table to visualize the progression of her running plan:
Let W represent the week number and D represent the distance run per day in miles.
Week 1: W=1, D=2 miles
Week 2: W=2, D=2.5 miles
Week 3: W=3, D=3 miles
Week 4: W=4, D=3.5 miles
Week 5: W=5, D=4 miles
Week 6: W=6, D=4.5 miles
Formulating an Equation
To represent the nth term of the sequence, we can use the arithmetic sequence formula:
D = 2 + (n - 1) * 0.5
Determining Week for 10 Miles Per Day
Using the derived equation, we can solve for n when D=10:
10 = 2 + (n - 1) * 0.5
n-1 = 16
n = 17
Susie will run 10 miles per day on the 17th week of her training.
Reasonableness of the Pattern
It is not reasonable to assume that this pattern will continue indefinitely because there are practical limits to the distance that can be run daily, and the body needs to rest and recover to prevent injuries.
Starting Time for the Marathon
The starting time for the marathon training would depend on several variables: Susie's current fitness level, the length of the marathon, and the maximum daily distance she aims to achieve before the event.