Sequence help

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Sequence help

by tonebeeze » Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:54 pm
Sequence A(n) is defined as follows:

A(1) = 5 ;
A(n) = A(n-2) + A(n-1)

If A(5) = 7 what is A(2)?

a. -3
b. -1
c. 1
d. 2
e. 3
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:09 pm
tonebeeze wrote:Sequence A(n) is defined as follows:

A(1) = 5 ;
A(n) = A(n-2) + A(n-1)

If A(5) = 7 what is A(2)?

a. -3
b. -1
c. 1
d. 2
e. 3
We can plug in the answers for A(2).

Answer choice C: A(2) = 1
A(3) = A(1) + A(2) = 5+1 = 6.
A(4) = A(2) + A(3) = 1+6 = 7.
Since A(5) = 7, answer choice C is too big. Eliminate C, D and E.

Answer choice B: A(2) = -1
A(3) = A(1) + A(2) = 5+(-1) = 4.
A(4) = A(2) + A(3) = -1+4 = 3.
A(5) = A(3) + A(4) = 4+3 = 7. Success!

The correct answer is B.
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by Anurag@Gurome » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:13 pm
tonebeeze wrote:Sequence A(n) is defined as follows:

A(1) = 5 ;
A(n) = A(n-2) + A(n-1)

If A(5) = 7 what is A(2)?
Use the property A(n) = A(n - 2) + A(n - 1) repetitively to break A(5) as follows,
  • A(5) = A(3) + A(4) = [A(1) + A(2)] + [A(2) + A(3)] = A(1) + 2*A(2) + [A(1) + A(2)] = 2*A(1) + 3*A(2)
Replacing A(1) = 5 and A(5) = 7,
  • 7 = 2*5 + 3*A(2) => A(2) = (7 - 10)/3 = -1
The correct answer is B.
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by anshumishra » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:16 pm
tonebeeze wrote:Sequence A(n) is defined as follows:

A(1) = 5 ;
A(n) = A(n-2) + A(n-1)

If A(5) = 7 what is A(2)?

a. -3
b. -1
c. 1
d. 2
e. 3
A(5) = A(3) + A(4) = A(3) + [A(2)+A(3)] = A(2) + 2*[A(3)] = A(2) + 2[A(2)+A(1)] = 3*A(2) + 2*A(1) = 3*A(2) + 10
=> 7 = 10 + 3*A(2)
=> A(2) = -1

Hence, b
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