Consider the sequence -2, -4, -8, -16,... how do you find the 8th term of the sequence?

1 Answer
Apr 14, 2016

-256

Explanation:

This is a geometric sequence. The standard sequence being:

a , ar ,#ar^2 , ar^3 , ............ , ar^(n-1)#

where a represents the 1st term , r , the common ratio and
#ar^(n-1) , " the nth term "#

# ar^(n-1)" is used to find any term in the sequence " #

In this question a = -2 , r #=(-4)/(-2) =(-8)/(-4) = 2 " and n = 8 #

#rArr a_8 = -2xx(2)^7 = -2xx128 = - 256 #