Math Portfolio

Stellar Numbers
This Portfolio task is to take Geometric Shapes provided and use them to lead into Special
numbers
Ahsan Amjad
Campbell Collegiate
IB #
IB Calculus 30
December 20th 2010
 Ahsan Amjad

Task 1
The first task present is to complete the triangular number sequence with 3 more terms
These are the initial terms:

1 3 6 10 15

From this we can construct a picture of what the pattern is, 1-3 is an increase of 2, 3-6 is an
increase of 3, 6-10 is an increase of 4 etc.

∴ The pattern is as follows:

0+1=1
1+2=3
3+3=6
6+4=10
10+5=15
*15+6=21
*21+7=28
*28+8=36 the terms with an * are the terms added to the number sequence

Task 2
To find a general statement that represents the nth triangular number in terms of n

When observing the pattern we see that it is sequence not a series, but it is not arithmetic
sequence because there is no fixed number being added to each number and it is not a
geometric sequence because each number is not being multiplied by the same constant,
however even though it nether arithmetic nor geometric, there is a pattern. The numbers
added to each consecutive term go through the number line i.e. 1+2, 3+3, 6+4, 10+5 etc. In
order to create a general statement for the nth number we need sequence to become
arithmetic or geometric in order to find the general statement. This is where a ratio comes
into place:
n /x where n is the nth term and x is the number of the nth term. This is simply putting the
pattern in a ratio

n n
=
x x
n 1
∴ =
x 1
n = x Using this as base we should repeat this for the rest of the terms in the pattern
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n 2 n 3 n 4 n 5 n 6 n 7
= = = = * = * = *
x 3 x 6 x 10 x 15 x 21 x 28
n 8
=
x 36
3n = 2x 6n = 3x 10n = 4x 15n = 5x 21n = 6x 28n = 7x 36n = 8x
3 6 10 15 21 28 36
n=x n=x n=x n=x n=x n=x n=
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
x
5 7 9
2n = x n=x 3n = x n=x 4n = x n=x
2 2 2

Note: the equations with an * are the 3 extra terms

3 5 7 9
∴ The sequence is: n, n, 2n, n, 3n, n, 4n, n
2 2 2 2

1 n
With this we get a sequence, specifically an arithmetic sequence. This is because n or is
2 2
being added to each consecutive term.

This allows us to use the arithmetic sequence’s general term formula, which is:
Un = U1 + (n - 1)d

n
∴ with U1 = n and d =
2

n
Un = U1 + (n - 1) ∴ the general statement is: Test: with n = 5 and Un = 15
2
n2 n n(n+1) n(n+1)
=n+ - Un =
2 2 2 2
2n+ n2−n 5(5+1)
= 15=
2 2
2
n +n 5(6)
= 15 =
2 2
n(n+1) 30
= 15 =
2 2
15 = 15 ∴it is correct

Note: the n values come from the original sequence

Task 3
Find the number of dots in each stage up to S6
These are the initial terms:

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S1 S2 S3 S4
The number of dots in each is as follows:
S1= 1
S2= 13
S3= 37
S4= 73
*S5= 121
*S6= 181 the terms with an * are the terms added

The pattern is as follows:

1+0=1
1+12=13
13+24=37
37+36=73
*73+48=121
*121+60=181 the terms with an * are the terms added

In this pattern each term is found by the previous term being added to by multiplies of 12
starting at 0 (i.e. 1+0=1, 1+12=13, 13+24=37, 37+36=73), however the multiple is
one less than the n of each term (i.e. when n=3 12x2, n=4 12x3 in both the), it also
necessary to note that the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it.

Task 4
Find an expression for the 6-stellar number at stage S7
From the patterns found in the previous task we can construct an expression for S7 which is:

S7 = S6 + 12(n - 1)
Which would become (S6= 181 and n= 7)
S7 = 181 + 12(7-1)
= 181 + 12(6)
= 181 + 72
= 253 ∴ S7 = 253

Task 5
Find a general statement for the 6-Stellar number at stage Sn in terms of n
Using the general statement from task 2 which is:
n(n+1)
2

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We need modify it to suit the needs of the 6-Stellar number by using the patterns found in task
3 which is the multiples of 12, one less than the nth and the extra one. We need to modify it
because n /x ratio does not work here.
This would lead to n = 12n (since each term is multiplied by multiples of 12), (n+1) to (n-1)
(since each of the numbers that 12 is multiplied is one less than the n of the term) and the
addition 1(since the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it), all of which
would lead the task 3 general statement to become:
12n (n−1)
+1 = 6n (n - 1) +1
2
∴ the general statement for 6- stellar number is 6n (n - 1) +1

Task 6
Repeat the step for other values of p
P is the number of vertices on the star for the 6- stellar it has p = 6
For p = 5 or 5-Stellar numbers these are the values to S4:

S1 S2 S3 S4

The number of dots in each is as follows:

S1= 1
S2= 11
S3= 31
S4= 61
S5= 101
*S6= 151 the terms with an * are the not present on the diagram

The pattern is as follows:

1+0=1
1+10=11
11+20=31
31+30=61
61+40=101
*101+50=151 the terms with an * are the not present on the diagram

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In this sequence we can see that each term is found by adding a multiple of 10 to the
previous term, the multiple is one less than the n of the term and the sequence starts initially
with 1 before anything is added to it.
Using these patterns we can construct an expression for S7 which is:
S7 = S6 + 10(n-1)
Which would become (S6 = 151, n = 7)\
S7 = 151 + 10(7-1)
= 151 + 10(6)
= 151 + 60
= 211 ∴ S7 = 211
From this we can get the general statement by modifying the statement we gained from task 2
which is:
n(n+1)
2
We need to replace n with 10n (since each term is multiplied by multiples of 10), (n+1) to (n-
1) (since each of the numbers that 10 is multiplied is one less than the n of the term) and the
addition 1(since the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it), which lead
the general statement to become:
10 n(n−1)
+1 = 5n (n - 1) +1
2

For p = 8 or 8-Stellar numbers these are the values to S5:

S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

The number of dots in each is as follows:

S1= 1
S2= 17
S3= 49
S4= 97
S5= 161
*S6= 241 the terms with an * are the not present on the diagram

The pattern is as follows:

1+0=1
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1+16=17
17+32=49
49+48=97
97+64=161
*161+80=241 the terms with an * are the not present on the diagram

In this sequence we can see that each term is found by adding a multiple of 16 to the
previous term, the multiple is one less than the n of the term and the sequence starts initially
with 1 before anything is added to it.
Using these patterns we can construct an expression for S7 which is:
S7 = S6 + 16(n-1)
Which would become (S6 = 241, n = 7)\
S7 = 241 + 16(7-1)
= 241 + 16(6)
= 241 + 96
= 337 ∴ S7 = 337
From this we can get the general statement by modifying the statement we gained from task 2
which is:
n(n+1)
2
We need to replace n with 16n (since each term is multiplied by multiples of 16), (n+1) to (n-
1) (since each of the numbers that 16 is multiplied is one less than the n of the term) and the
addition 1(since the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it), which lead
the general statement to become:
16 n(n−1)
+1 = 8n (n - 1) +1
2

Task 7
Produce a general statement in terms of p and n, that generates a sequence of p stellar
numbers for any value of p at stage Sn

Looking at the general statements for 5-Stellar, 6-Stellar and 8-Stellar number at Sn in terms
of n:
5n (n - 1) +1 6n (n - 1) +1 8n (n - 1) +1 (respectively)
We can see a pattern, all the terms are almost identical to one another except for the first term
however all the first terms are all equal to each of their p values respectively, so therefor we
can say that the general statement in terms of p and n is:
Sn = p(n)(n – 1)+ 1

Task 8
Test the validity of the statement

Since we have used different stellar numbers to find the statement we need to test larger
stellar numbers and other types of shapes as well in order to test the validity of the general
statement.

For example what if the p = 1320, n=3 and S3 = 7921

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Sn = p(n)(n – 1)+ 1
7921 = 1320(3)(3 – 1)+ 1
7921= 3960(2)+ 1
7921= 7920+1
7921=7921 ∴ for very large stellar values the general statement works

What if instead of stellar numbers or stars rectangles were used?

The initial terms are as follows:

S1 S2 S3 S4
So according to the drawings S4=25, p=4 and n=4
Sn = p(n)(n – 1)+ 1
25= 4(4)(4 – 1)+ 1
25= 16(3)+ 1
25= 48+1
25= 49 ∴ the statement does not work for rectangles

What if triangles were used?

The initial terms are as follows:

S1 S2 S3 S4

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So according to the drawings S4=19, p=3 and n=4

Sn = p(n)(n – 1)+ 1
19= 3(4)(4 – 1)+ 1
19= 12(3)+ 1
19= 36+1
19= 37 ∴ the statement does not work for triangles

What if circles were used?

The initial terms are as follows:

S1 S2 S3 S4
So according to the drawings S4=12, p=0 and n=4
Sn = p(n)(n – 1)+ 1
12= 0(4)(4 – 1)+ 1
12= 0(3)+ 1
12= 0+1
12= 0 ∴ the statement does not work for circles

Note: a circle can also have infinite number of vertices, however it would become
difficult to solve then.

Task 9
Discuss the scope or limitation of the general statement

The test of the validity in task 8 showed that that scope of the general statement lies
within calculating stellar numbers or stars and does not go to other shapes such as
circles, triangles, rectangles etc. The p value given the fact that it is the number of
vertices cannot be a fraction nor can it be an under-root or a negative number neither
can the Sn because in is the total number of dotes nor can the n since it is the place of the
term. So the statement as whole cannot have fraction, under-root or negative numbers.
Infinite numbers of dots also do not work so infinity cannot be used by the statement to
calculate terms.

Task 10
Explain how you arrived at the General statement.

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n
To begin I arrived at the statement by first using ratio in order to take the sequence from
x
task 1 and turn it into a arithmetic sequence thereby being able to use the arithmetic sequences
general term formula to calculate a general statement for task 2. Then using the expression for
the 6-Stellar number at stage S7 in task 4, I modified the general statement from task 2 and
created a general statement for the 6-Steller number. Finally following the exact same process
for the 6-Stellar number I calculated general statements for two other p values and I compared
all the general statements for all 3 p values and found similarities in them which lead me to
create the final general statement for p and n.

Bibliography: Paul Urban, John Owen, David Martin, Robert Haese, Sandra Haese and Mark
Bruce (2007) Mathematics for the international student [Mathematics HL (Core)] Haese and
Harris publications

Sources: