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Mathematics 24 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

determine whether each sequence is geometric. if so identify the common ration and find the next two terms. 1,3,5,7

OpenStudy (anonymous):

@whpalmer4

OpenStudy (whpalmer4):

what's the test for a geometric sequence?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

um not sure do we take the second term and divide it by the first??

OpenStudy (whpalmer4):

sounds good. what do you get?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

well 3/1=3 lol

OpenStudy (anonymous):

where did you go lol @whpalmer4

OpenStudy (whpalmer4):

Yeah. Okay, now divide the 3rd term by the 2nd term. Is the ratio the same? If so, it might be geometric. If not, it isn't.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

is it arithmetic because you can add 2 to get the next term. it is not because when you divied 5/3=1.66666

OpenStudy (whpalmer4):

it is arithmetic, yes. It is not geometric because the ratio didn't hold. We'd really want to try all of the known terms before deciding it is geometric, just in case it is some weird sequence that looks geometric for a few terms, but then isn't.

OpenStudy (anonymous):

oh ok lol makes sense

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