SO I need to find the first 5 numbers in this sequence (substituting 1-5) for this problem. I've gotten the answers -2, -2/3, -2/9, -2/27, -2/279, and was told I was wrong by my online class. Am I wrong? Why?!

Question

anonymous · Answer

attachment

anonymous · Answer

And the following attachment is the math problem. The "helpmeohgod.png" bit.

bibby · Answer

how'd you get -2/279?

bibby · Answer

3^4=81

anonymous · Answer

Bibby, it may be that i just made a really, really stupid mistake, hehe...i've been doing math for the past few hours and i'm probably starting to fry

perl · Answer

$$
\Large{ \ a_n = -2\cdot \left(  \frac{1}{3}  ight)^{n-1}  \
\ 	herefore \
a_1 = -2\cdot \left( \frac{1}{3}ight)  ^{1-1} \
a_1 = -2\cdot \left( \frac{1}{3}ight)  ^{0} 
\ a_1 = -2\cdot 1 
}
$$

bibby · Answer

haha I've been there. don't worry

perl · Answer

the first one is correct :)

anonymous · Answer

Oh thank god i'm not going crazy

bibby · Answer

the successive terms are just being multiplied by 1/3

anonymous · Answer

It may have just been that last bit that got the entire question wrong, I'm going to attempt submitting that again

bibby · Answer

it is the last bit

anonymous · Answer

OH i see, i squared 27.

bibby · Answer

feel free to have me confirm it before you resubmit