Answer:
-496
Explanation:
The direct formula for the nth term of an arithmetic sequence is given by the formula:
Where a is the initial term, d is the common ratio, and n is the nth term.
Let's find a and d.
From the sequence, we can see that the initial term or a is 26.
Also, each subsequent term is 9 less than the previous term. In other words, our common ratio is -9.
Therefore, our direct formula is:
To find the 59th term, substitute 59 for n:
Subtract:
Multiply:
Subtract:
So, the 59th term is -496.
And we're done!