Final Answer:
The
th term of the geometric sequence
can be expressed as
.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a geometric sequence, each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by a constant factor. In this case, the first term
, and to find the common ratio, we divide any term by its preceding term:
. So, the common ratio
is -2. The general formula for the \(i\)th term (\(a_i\)) in a geometric sequence is given by
.
Now, substituting the given values, we get
. This expression accurately represents the \(i\)th term of the given geometric sequence. For example, when
times
times
, which is the first term. When
times
, matching the second term in the sequence.
The exponent \((i-1)\) in the formula is crucial as it accounts for the position of the term in the sequence. Each subsequent term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by the common ratio, and the exponent ensures the correct power of the ratio is applied at each step. Therefore, the general formula
accurately describes the
th term of the geometric sequence.