# General rule for a sequence..

• Oct 8th 2011, 11:10 PM
Oiler
General rule for a sequence..
hi,

I am having trouble trying to find a general rule for the sequence defined as $a_1 =10$, $a_{k+1} = \frac{(a_k)^2}{a_k+1}$
I have the first n terms $a_1 = 10, a_2 = 4/3, a_3 = 9/4, a_4 = 16/5 ..$ but cant see a pattern..

Thanks,
• Oct 8th 2011, 11:29 PM
CaptainBlack
Re: General rule for a sequence..
Quote:

Originally Posted by Oiler
hi,

I am having trouble trying to find a general rule for the sequence defined as $a_1 =10$, $a_{k+1} = \frac{(a_k)^2}{a_k+1}$
I have the first n terms $a_1 = 10, a_2 = 4/3, a_3 = 9/4, a_4 = 16/5 ..$ but cant see a pattern..

Thanks,

Assuming the correction I made to your LaTeX is correct those are not the terms of the sequence, but those of (other than the first which you were given):

$b_{k}=\frac{k^2}{k+1}$

Assuming the correction:

$a_2=\frac{a_1^2}{a_1+1}=\frac{100}{11}$

CB
• Oct 9th 2011, 12:45 AM
chisigma
Re: General rule for a sequence..
Quote:

Originally Posted by Oiler
hi,

I am having trouble trying to find a general rule for the sequence defined as $a_1 =10$, $a_{k+1} = \frac{(a_k)^2}{a_k+1}$
I have the first n terms $a_1 = 10, a_2 = 4/3, a_3 = 9/4, a_4 = 16/5 ..$ but cant see a pattern..

Thanks,

The difference equation...

$a_{n+1}= \frac{a_{n}^{2}}{1+a_{n}}\ ,\ a_{0}=10$ (1)

... is nonlinear and a direct solution is a difficult task. However, if You are interested to the 'asyntotic behaviour' of the $a_{n}$ then You can write (1) as...

$\Delta_{n}= a_{n+1}-a_{n}= -\frac{a_{n}}{1+a_{n}}= f(a_{n})\ ,\ a_{0}=10$ (2)

... and follow the procedure illustrated in...

http://www.mathhelpforum.com/math-he...-i-188482.html

$f(x)= -\frac{x}{1-x}$ (3)
... and f(x) has only one 'attractive fixed point' in $x_{0}=0$. You can verify that for any $a_{0} \ne 0$ is...
$|f(x)|<|x_{0}-x|$ (4)
... so that the conditions of theorem 4.1 are satisfied and the $a_{n}$ do converge monotonically at 0...
$\chi$ $\sigma$