79.6k views
4 votes
Write the nth rule for each geometric sequence.4) -3, 1, -1/3, 1/9...

User Alex Panov
by
6.1k points

1 Answer

5 votes

In a geometric sequence each term is found by multiplying the previous term by a constant.

To find the nth term in a geometric sequence we use:


a_n=ar^(n-1)

where a is the first term and r is the common ratio.

To find the common ratio we can divide the second term by the first:


(1)/(-3)=-(1)/(3)

and the third one by the second:


(-(1)/(3))/(1)=-(1)/(3)

we notice that this in fact is the common ratio. Now we plug it in the formula above, therefore the geometric sequence is:


a_n=-3(-(1)/(3))^(n-1)

User Thinkhy
by
6.2k points