Question

Find the indicated terms of the following sequences whose nth terms are:

`a_n = (-1)^2 n; a_3, a_5, a_8`

Answer 1

`a_n = (-1)^2 n`

We need to find `a_3, a_5` and `a_8`

Now to find `a_3` term we use n = 3 we get

`a_3 = (-1)^3 3`

= (-1)3

= -3

Also to find `a_5` term we use n = 5 we get

`a_5 = (-1)^5 5`

= (-1)5

- -5

Similarly to find `a_8` term we use n = 8,we get

`a_8 = (-1)^8 8`

= (-1)8

= 8

Thus `a_3 = -3, a_5 = -5` and `a_8 = 8`