David W. answered 05/16/19
Experienced Prof
Find the 9th term of the sequence. 2,0, -4,-10,-18,...
The differences are -2, -4, -6, -8, ...
The recursive formula for this sequence is:
a1 = 2
an = an-1 - 2*(n-1)
a9 = a8 - 2*8
a9 = (a7 - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( (a6 - 2*6) -2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( (a5 -2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( ( (a4 - 2*4) - 2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( ( ( (a3 - 2*3) - 2*4) - 2*5) -2*6) -2*7) -2*8
a9 = ( ( ( ( ( (a2 - 2*2) - 2*3) - 2*4) - 2*5) -2*6) -2*7) -2*8
a9 = ( ( ( ( ( ( (a1 -1*2) - 2*2) - 2*3) - 2*4) - 2*5) -2*6) -2*7) - 2*8
Base Case: a1 = 2
a9 = ( ( ( ( ( ( 0 - 2*2) - 2*3) - 2*4) - 2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( ( ( ( -4 - 2*3) - 2*4) - 2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( ( ( -10 - 2*4) - 2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( ( -18 - 2*5) - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( ( -28 - 2*6) - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = ( -40 - 2*7) - 2*8
a9 = -54 - 2*8
a9 = -70