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The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for

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Bunuel
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The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   30 Jan 2014, 01:50
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The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21
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C
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Bunuel
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   30 Jan 2014, 01:50
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SOLUTION

The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21

\(a_5 = 31\);
\(a_4 =31-5=26\);
\(a_3 =26-5=21\);
\(a_2 =21-5=16\);
\(a_1 =16-5=11\).

Answer: C.
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   30 Jan 2014, 03:10
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The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21


Sol: Given a5=31....and also a5=a4+5 ---> a4=26-----> a3=21----->a2=16 ---->a1=11.
Ans C

600 level is okay
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   30 Jan 2014, 03:31
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Ans.C
This is nothing but an AP with common diff=5
a5=31,
a4=26
a3=21,
a2=16,
a1=11

a5=a1+4d
31=a1+4*5
31-20=a1=11
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   30 Jan 2014, 10:42
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This answer can be easily be solve by A.P.
The sequence is an A.P. with each term at an increment of 5 from the previous term.
So a5 is nothing but a1+20.

a5=a1+20=31
=> a1=11.

Answer is C
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   31 Jan 2014, 06:13
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The sequence \(a_1, a_2, a_3, a_4, a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21

Given sequence is A.P. with common difference of 5.
Last Term - First Term = (Number of terms -1)* common difference

\(a_5-a_1 = (5-1)*\) \(common\) \(difference\)

Or, \(31-a_1=(5-1)*5\)

Or, \(a_1=31-20=11\)

Answer: (C)
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   18 Mar 2014, 23:12
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Bunuel wrote:
SOLUTION

The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21

\(a_5 = 31\);
\(a_4 =31-5=26\);
\(a_3 =26-5=21\);
\(a_2 =21-5=16\);
\(a_1 =16-5=1\).

Answer: C.



But 2<= n <= 5 so how is this applicable to a1 i.e. n=1?
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   19 Mar 2014, 01:59
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havoc7860 wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
SOLUTION

The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21

\(a_5 = 31\);
\(a_4 =31-5=26\);
\(a_3 =26-5=21\);
\(a_2 =21-5=16\);
\(a_1 =16-5=1\).

Answer: C.



But 2<= n <= 5 so how is this applicable to a1 i.e. n=1?


\(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) --> for n=2, we get: \(a_2= a_{1} + 5\).

Hope it helps.
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   26 Mar 2018, 17:34
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Quote:

The sequence \(a_1\), \(a_2\), \(a_3\), \(a_4\), \(a_5\) is such that \(a_n= a_{n-1} + 5\) for \(2\leq n \leq 5\). If \(a_5 = 31\), what is the value of \(a_1\) ?

(A) 1
(B) 6
(C) 11
(D) 16
(E) 21


a(5) = 31, so:

a(5) = a(4) + 5

31 = a(4) + 5

26 = a(4)

The pattern is to subtract 5 to obtain the value of the previous term in this recursively-defined sequence.

Thus, a(3) = 21, a(2) =16, and a(1) = 11.

Answer: C
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink] New post   28 May 2023, 07:26
To find the value of a1, we can work backward from the given information and use the recursive formula provided.

Given that a5 = 31 and the recursive formula is an = an−1 + 5, we can calculate the preceding terms in the sequence until we reach a1.

Starting from a5 = 31:
a4 = a5 - 5 = 31 - 5 = 26
a3 = a4 - 5 = 26 - 5 = 21
a2 = a3 - 5 = 21 - 5 = 16
a1 = a2 - 5 = 16 - 5 = 11

Therefore, the value of a1 is 11.
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Re: The sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 is such that an=a(n-1)+5 for [#permalink]
28 May 2023, 07:26
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