To find the number in the nth position of a given sequence, we need to identify the pattern or formula that defines that sequence. For example, if we have a simple arithmetic sequence where each term increases by a fixed amount, the expression can often be defined as:
Expression: a_n = a_1 + (n - 1) * d
Where:
a_nis the nth term of the sequence.a_1is the first term in the sequence.dis the common difference between consecutive terms.nis the position of the term you want to find.
For different types of sequences, such as geometric or quadratic, the expressions will vary. For example, a geometric sequence where each term is multiplied by a fixed factor can be expressed as:
Expression: a_n = a_1 * r^(n-1)
Where r is the common ratio. Identifying the type of sequence is crucial in determining the correct expression to find the nth term.