The given sequence is 1, 4, 9, 16. To find the formula for the nth term, we first observe the pattern of the numbers. These numbers are perfect squares:
- 1 is 1^2
- 4 is 2^2
- 9 is 3^2
- 16 is 4^2
From this, we can deduce that the nth term of the sequence can be expressed as:
nth term = n2
Thus, for any integer n, the nth term will be the square of n. For example:
- When n = 1, the term is 12 = 1
- When n = 2, the term is 22 = 4
- When n = 3, the term is 32 = 9
- When n = 4, the term is 42 = 16
In conclusion, the formula for the nth term of the sequence is n2.