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LESSON 10.2:
EXPLICIT FORMULAS
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 Explicit Formula
 Formula that calculates An using n and not using
previous terms.
 Example: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, …
 Recursive Formula: An = An-1 + 3
 Explicit Formula: An = 3n – 2
 Check the formula
 A1 = 3(1) – 2 = 1
 A2 = 3(2) – 2 = 4
 A3 = 3(3) – 2 = 7
 A300 = 3(300) – 2 = 898

Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 498.
 Find the first five terms of An = 2n3 – 10,
and write the sequence as a list.
 A1 = 2(1)3 – 10 = 2 – 10 = -8
 A2 = 2(2)3 – 10 = 16 – 10 = 6
 A3 = 2(3)3 – 10 = 54 – 10 = 44
 A4 = 2(4)3 – 10 = 128 – 10 = 118
 A5 = 2(5)3 – 10 = 250 – 10 = 240

So the sequence is -8, 6, 44, 118, 240, …

Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 499.
 If An = 3n – 2 is the explicit formula for a
sequence, find the recursive formula.

Not all sequences have an explicit formula, but any sequence that has
an explicit formula also has a recursive formula.

 Find the common  A1 = 3(1) – 2 = 1

difference by
A2 = 3(2) – 2 = 4
subtracting the 2nd term
from the 1st term. d=4–1=3
 Express An using the  An = An-1 + 3
common difference
just found.
The recursive function is An = An-1 + 3 where A1 = 1.
When stating a recursive formula, always give the first term.
Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 499.
 Find the explicit formula and give A10.
1+ 2 , 4 + 2 , 9 + 2 , 16 + 2 ,...

Each term is a perfect square plus 2.

So the explicit formula is An  n2  2 .

A10  102  2  100  2

Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 500.
 Find the explicit formula for
17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, …

1 2 3 4 5 6

17 20 23 26 29 32

17 17+3 17+2(3) 17+3(3) 17+4(3) 17+5(3)

An = 17 + 3(n – 1)
An = 17 + 3n – 3
An = 3n + 14
Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 500.
 Summary of Formulas

Sequence Recursive Explicit Formula

Formula
Arithmetic An=An-1 + d An = A1 + (n – 1)d
Geometric An = rAn-1 An = A1rn-1
Factorial An = nAn-1 An = n!
1 1
An = An =
Harmonic 1 1
+d + (n-1)d
An-1 A1
 
n
 1- 5 
n
1  1+ 5 
Fibonacci An = An-1 + An-2 An =   -  
5  2   2  
 
Pilger, Kathy D., and Ron Tagliapietra. Precalculus for Christian Schools, Greenville, SC: BJU, 2002. pg 501.