3 years ago

Can you simplify -4X - X =

1 answer:

3 0

Sure ... exactly the way you simplify "2 + 2" when it comes up in conversation ... perform the indicated operation wherever possible. In simplified form, -4x-x is written as. " -5x ".

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If the second term of a geometric sequence of real numbers is -2 and the fifth term is 16 then what is the fourteenth term?

Agata [3.3K]

<h3>Given</h3>

A geometric sequence such that ...

$a_2=-2\quad\text{and}\quad a_5=16$

$a_{14}$

<h3>Solution</h3>

We can use the ratio of the given terms to find the common ratio of the sequence, then use that to find the desired term from one of the given terms. We don't actually need the common ratio (-2). All we need is its cube (-8).

$a_2=a_1r^{(2-1)}=a_1r^1\\a_5=a_1r^{(5-1)}=a_1r^4\\a_{14}=a_1r^{(14-1)}=a_1r^13=a_5r^9\\\\\dfrac{a_5}{a_2}=\dfrac{a_1r^4}{a_1r^1}=r^3=\dfrac{16}{-2}=-8\\\\r^9=\left(r^3\right)^3=(-8)^3=-512\\a_{14}=a_5(-512)\\\\a_{14}=-8192$