Portfolio I

Investigation: Lascap’s Fractions

Jennifer Hoang
Ms. Cook
IB MATH SL
January 23, 2012
Introduction:

A sheet is given with the following rows of numbers arrange in a certain position:

1 1

1 3 1
2
1 6 6 1
4 4
1 10 10 10 1
7 6 7
1 15 15 15 15 1
11 9 9 11

Finding the Numerator:

To find the pattern of the numerator, a table was created with the independent variable being the
row number (n) and the dependent variable being the numerator of the corresponding row
number (n).

Row Number (n) Numerator

2 3
3 6
4 10
5 15

Base on the differences between the numerators, it can be seen that the number at which the
numerator increases by one each time. A second difference was found and the results were that
the second difference is constant. From this information, we can conclude that the general
statement to finding the numerator is a quadratic equation. Using the chart from above, the
information was use to graph the relationship between the row number (n) and numerator using
Microsoft Excel 2007.
 The Relationship between the Row Number (n) and the
Numerator in Each Row
12
The Numerator 10

0
1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5
Row Number (n)

Now the pattern between the row number (n) and numerator is more apparent and the trend line
could be vaguely seen. Using a GDC, the quadratic regression was calculated by inputting the
information from the chart showing the relationship between the row number (n) and numerator
then by pressing [STAT], the tab CALC and press 5 or goes down and presses enter when
QUADREG is highlighted.

From this, we get the equation: y = .5x2 + .5x+0 which is modify in the context of our variables
to be: Numerator = .5n2 + .5n where n represents the row number.

To test the validity of our general statement, sample calculations were made when n = 3, n =4.

Sample Calculations:

n= 3

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(3)2 + .5(3)

Numerator = .5(9) + 1.5

Numerator = 4.5 + 1.5

Numerator = 6
n= 4

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(4)2 + .5(4)

Numerator = .5(16) + 2

Numerator = 8 + 2

Numerator =10

Both of the answers were correct, proving the general statement is correct. Therefore, the
numerator for the sixth and seventh row can be calculated using this general statement

n=6

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(6)2 + .5(6)

Numerator = .5(36) + 3

Numerator = 18 + 3

Numerator = 21

The numerator for the sixth row is 21.

n=7

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(7)2 + .5(7)

Numerator = .5(49) + 3.5

Numerator = 24.5 + 3.5

Numerator = 28

The numerator for the seventh row is 28.

Finding the Denominator:

The denominator is harder to find as it varies depending on the element number (r) and the row
(n) number of the denominator. A similar procedure to finding the numerator is used by creating
a table to show the relationship between the element number (r) and row number (n).

Table1: The relationship between Element Number (r) and Denominator for the first
element.

Element Number Denominator

(r)
2 2

3 4

4 7

5 11

From the table, the element number (r) increases at a rate of 2 initially then the rate at which it
increases by increases by one each time. A second difference was found from the first difference
and the second difference increases at a constant rate of 1. From this, we can conclude that the
equation is a quadratic equation. The information was inputted into a GDC and the quadratic
regression was found using the same procedure to calculate the numerator.

The equation obtain is: y = .5x2 - .5x +1 which is modified to fit lascap’s fraction’s context is

Numerator = .5n2 - .5n + 1 where n represents the row number.

A table to show the relationship for row number (n) and element number (r) for the second and
third element was created. In the second table, the second row was exempted as it does not have
a second row. The same logic apples to the third table.
 Table 2: The relationship between Element Number (r) and Denominator for the second
element.

Element Number (r) Denominator

3 4

4 6

5 9

Table 3: The relationship between Element Number (r) and Denominator for the third
element.

Element Number (r) Denominator

4 7

5 9

6 12

Similar to the table for the first element, the pattern at which the element number (r) for the
second element increases is increase by one each time. Knowing this, we can estimate the
denominator corresponding to the sixth for the third element. The second difference for both the
second and third element is one, which is the same second difference as the first element. With
the similarities between the first and second element s, it can be certain that there’s definitely a
relationship between the two. A quadratic regression using a GDC was calculated for the second
and third element using the same procedures to find the numerator and modified to fit our
context.
The equation obtain for the second element is: Denominator2 = .5n2 - 1.5n + 4 and the equation
for the third element is Denominator3 = .5n2 – 2.5x + 9 where n represents the row number for
both equation.

For a better analyze the equations, there are listed below:

First element: Denominator1 = .5n2 - .5n + 1

Second element: Denominator2 = .5n2 - 1.5n + 4

Third element: Denominator3 = .5n2 – 2.5x + 9

In the three equation above, the a factor of the equations are all .5. The b and c factors are
different but show a similar pattern so a table was created for the relationship between b and the
element number (r) and c and the element number (r) was created.

Table 4: The relationship between Element Number (r) and b factor

Element Number b
(r)
1 .5

2 1.5

3 2.5

From the table above, the element number (r) decreases at a constant rate of .5 every time to
produce the unit for the b factor of the equation. The general statement for this relationship can
be rationalized as: b = r - .5.
 Table 5: The relationship between Element Number (r) and c factor

Element Number c
(r)
1 1

2 4

3 9

From the table above, the relationship between the element number (r) and the c factor seem to
be that element number (r) is squared each time to get the c factor. The general statement for this
relationship can be rationalized as: c = r2.

To condense the information obtain from the table 4 and table 5, the general statement to find the
denominator would be: Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2 where n represents the row
number and r represents the element number.

To test the validity of this general statement, the second element number of the fourth row and
the fourth element of the fifth row will be calculated using this general statement.

n= 4; r = 2

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(4)2 – (2 - .5)(4) + 22

Denominator = .5(16) – (1.5)(4) + 4

Denominator = 8 – 6 + 4

Denominator = 2 + 4

Denominator = 6

The denominator for the second element of the fourth row is 6 which prove that this general
statement is correct.
n= 5; r = 4

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(5)2 – (4 - .5)(5) + 42

Denominator = .5(25) – (3.5)(5) + 16

Denominator = .5(25) – (3.5)(5) + 16

Denominator = 12.5 – 17.5 + 16

Denominator = -5 + 16

Denominator = 11

The denominator for the fourth element of the fifth row is 11 which prove that this general
statement is correct.

The general statement can be applied to find the sixth row.

Sixth row:

n= 6 ; r = 1

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(6)2 – (1 - .5)(6) + 12

Denominator = .5(36) – (.5)(6) + 1

Denominator = 18 – 3 + 1

Denominator = 15 +1

Denominator = 16

n= 6 ; r = 2
Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(6)2 – (2 - .5)(6) + 22

Denominator = .5(36) – (1.5)(6) + 4

Denominator = 18 – 9 + 4

Denominator = 9 +4

Denominator = 13

n= 6 ; r = 3

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(6)2 – (3 - .5)(6) + 32

Denominator = .5(36) – (2.5)(6) + 9

Denominator = 18 – 15 + 9

Denominator = 3 +9

Denominator = 12

n= 6 ; r = 4

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(6)2 – (4 - .5)(6) + 42

Denominator = .5(36) – (3.5)(6) + 16

Denominator = 18 – 21 + 16

Denominator = -3 +16

Denominator = 13
n= 6 ; r = 5

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(6)2 – (5 - .5)(6) + 52

Denominator = .5(36) – (4.5)(6) + 25

Denominator = 18 – 27 + 25

Denominator = -9 +25

Denominator = 16

n= 6

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(6)2 + .5(6)

Numerator = .5(36) + 3

Numerator = 18 + 3

Numerator = 21

With the denominators and numerator obtain from the calculations made, the 6th row is:

21 21 21 21 21
1 1
16 13 12 13 16
The same general statement can be utilized to find the seventh row.

Seventh row:

n= 7 ; r = 1

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (1 - .5)(7) + 12

Denominator = .5(49) – (.5)(7) + 1

Denominator = 24.5 – 3.5 + 1

Denominator = 21 +1

Denominator = 22

n= 7 ; r = 2

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (2 - .5)(7) + 22

Denominator = .5(49) – (1.5)(7) + 4

Denominator = 24.5 – 10.5 + 4

Denominator = 14 +4

Denominator = 18

n= 7 ; r = 3

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (2 - .5)(7) + 32

Denominator = .5(49) – (2.5)(7) + 9

Denominator = 24.5 – 17.5 + 9

Denominator = 7 + 9

Denominator = 16
n= 7 ; r = 4

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (4 - .5)(7) + 42

Denominator = .5(49) – (3.5)(7) + 16

Denominator = 24.5 – 24.5 + 16

Denominator = 0 + 16

Denominator = 16

n= 7 ; r = 5

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (5 - .5)(7) + 52

Denominator = .5(49) – (4.5)(7) + 25

Denominator = 24.5 – 31.5 + 25

Denominator = -7 + 25

Denominator = 18

n= 7 ; r = 6

Denominator = .5n2 – (r - .5)(n) + r2

Denominator = .5(7)2 – (6 - .5)(7) + 62

Denominator = .5(49) – (5.5)(7) + 36

Denominator = 24.5 – 38.5 + 36

Denominator = -14 + 36

Denominator = 22
n=7

Numerator = .5n2 + .5n

Numerator = .5(7)2 + .5(7)

Numerator = .5(49) + 3.5

Numerator = 24.5 + 3.5

Numerator = 28

Therefore, the seventh row is,

28 28 28 28 28 28
1 1
22 18 16 16 18 22

The general statement is proven true but the limitations are that the denominator cannot be zero
because numbers cannot be divided by zero; the row number (n) and element number (r) cannot
be zero because the denominator would ultimately result in a zero; the row number cannot be 1
because there’s no corresponding denominator for that row.

Conclusion:

Therefore, it can be concluded that the general statement for the rth element in nth row can be
shown as:

.5 n 2+.5 n
En ( r ) =
.5 n 2−( r −.5 ) ( n ) +r 2

Where n represents the row number and r represents the element number.