Recurrence relation: find specific terms

Given a recurrence relation u_(n+1) = f(u_n) and initial value, find specific terms by iterative substitution, possibly leaving answers in surd or algebraic form.

17 questions · Moderate -0.8

1.04e Sequences: nth term and recurrence relations
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Edexcel C1 2010 June Q5
4 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. A sequence of positive numbers is defined by
$$\begin{aligned} a _ { n + 1 } & = \sqrt { } \left( a _ { n } ^ { 2 } + 3 \right) , \quad n \geqslant 1 , \\ a _ { 1 } & = 2 \end{aligned}$$
  1. Find \(a _ { 2 }\) and \(a _ { 3 }\), leaving your answers in surd form.
  2. Show that \(a _ { 5 } = 4\)
Edexcel C1 2018 June Q6
7 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. A sequence \(a _ { 1 } , a _ { 2 } , a _ { 3 } , \ldots\) is defined by
$$\begin{aligned} a _ { 1 } & = 4 \\ a _ { n + 1 } & = \frac { a _ { n } } { a _ { n } + 1 } , \quad n \geqslant 1 , n \in \mathbb { N } \end{aligned}$$
  1. Find the values of \(a _ { 2 } , a _ { 3 }\) and \(a _ { 4 }\) Write your answers as simplified fractions. Given that $$a _ { n } = \frac { 4 } { p n + q } , \text { where } p \text { and } q \text { are constants }$$
  2. state the value of \(p\) and the value of \(q\).
  3. Hence calculate the value of \(N\) such that \(a _ { N } = \frac { 4 } { 321 }\)
Edexcel P2 2021 October Q2
5 marks Moderate -0.5
2. A sequence is defined by
OCR C2 Q1
4 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. A sequence is defined by
$$u _ { n + 1 } = \frac { u _ { n } + 1 } { 3 } , \quad n = 1,2,3 , \ldots$$ Given that \(u _ { 3 } = 5\),
  1. find the value of \(u _ { 4 }\),
  2. find the value of \(u _ { 1 }\).
OCR MEI C2 Q3
3 marks Moderate -0.8
3 A sequence is defined by $$\begin{aligned} u _ { 1 } & = 10 \\ u _ { r + 1 } & = \frac { 5 } { u _ { r } ^ { 2 } } \end{aligned}$$ Calculate the values of \(u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 }\) and \(u _ { 4 }\).
What happens to the terms of the sequence as \(r\) tends to infinity?
OCR MEI C2 Q6
2 marks Easy -1.2
6 You are given that $$\begin{aligned} u _ { 1 } & = 1 \\ u _ { n + 1 } & = \frac { u _ { n } } { 1 + u _ { n } } \end{aligned}$$ Find the values of \(u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 }\) and \(u _ { 4 }\). Give your answers as fractions.
OCR C2 2012 June Q5
8 marks Moderate -0.8
5
  1. A sequence \(u _ { 1 } , u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 } , \ldots\) is defined by $$u _ { 1 } = 4 \quad \text { and } \quad u _ { n + 1 } = \frac { 2 } { u _ { n } } \quad \text { for } n \geqslant 1 .$$
    1. Write down the values of \(u _ { 2 }\) and \(u _ { 3 }\).
    2. Describe the behaviour of the sequence.
  2. In an arithmetic progression the ninth term is 18 and the sum of the first nine terms is 72. Find the first term and the common difference.
OCR MEI C2 2011 June Q2
3 marks Moderate -0.8
2 A sequence is defined by $$\begin{aligned} u _ { 1 } & = 10 \\ u _ { r + 1 } & = \frac { 5 } { u _ { r } ^ { 2 } } \end{aligned}$$ Calculate the values of \(u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 }\) and \(u _ { 4 }\).
What happens to the terms of the sequence as \(r\) tends to infinity?
Edexcel C1 Q7
8 marks Moderate -0.5
7. Initially the number of fish in a lake is 500000 . The population is then modelled by the recurrence relation $$u _ { n + 1 } = 1.05 u _ { n } - d , \quad u _ { 0 } = 500000 .$$ In this relation \(u _ { n }\) is the number of fish in the lake after \(n\) years and \(d\) is the number of fish which are caught each year. Given that \(d = 15000\),
  1. calculate \(u _ { 1 } , u _ { 2 }\) and \(u _ { 3 }\) and comment briefly on your results. Given that \(d = 100000\),
  2. show that the population of fish dies out during the sixth year.
  3. Find the value of \(d\) which would leave the population each year unchanged.
Edexcel C1 Q6
8 marks Moderate -0.3
6. Initially the number of fish in a lake is 500000 . The population is then modelled by the recurrence relation \(\quad u _ { n + 1 } = 1.05 u _ { n } - d , \quad u _ { 0 } = 500000\).
In this relation \(u _ { n }\) is the number of fish in the lake after \(n\) years and \(d\) is the number of fish which are caught each year.
Given that \(d = 15000\),
  1. calculate \(u _ { 1 } , u _ { 2 }\) and \(u _ { 3 }\) and comment briefly on your results. Given that \(d = 100000\),
  2. show that the population of fish dies out during the sixth year.
  3. Find the value of \(d\) which would leave the population each year unchanged.
Edexcel C1 Q2
Moderate -0.8
2. The sequence of positive numbers \(u _ { 1 } , u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 } , \ldots\) is given by: $$u _ { n + 1 } = \left( u _ { n } - 3 \right) ^ { 2 } , \quad u _ { 1 } = 1$$
  1. Find \(u _ { 2 } , u _ { 3 }\) and \(u _ { 4 }\).
  2. Write down the value of \(u _ { 20 }\).
WJEC Unit 3 2019 June Q3
Moderate -0.8
The \(n\)th term of a number sequence is denoted by \(x _ { n }\). The \(( n + 1 )\) th term is defined by \(x _ { n + 1 } = 4 x _ { n } - 3\) and \(x _ { 3 } = 113\). a) Find the values of \(x _ { 2 }\) and \(x _ { 1 }\).
b) Determine whether the sequence is an arithmetic sequence, a geometric sequence or neither. Give reasons for your answer.
a) Express \(5 \sin x - 12 \cos x\) in the form \(R \sin ( x - \alpha )\), where \(R > 0\) and \(0 ^ { \circ } < \alpha < 90 ^ { \circ }\).
b) Find the minimum value of \(\frac { 4 } { 5 \sin x - 12 \cos x + 15 }\).
c) Solve the equation $$5 \sin x - 12 \cos x + 3 = 0$$ for values of \(x\) between \(0 ^ { \circ }\) and \(360 ^ { \circ }\).
05
a) Find the range of values of \(x\) for which \(| 1 - 3 x | > 7\).
b) Sketch the graph of \(y = | 1 - 3 x | - 7\). Clearly label the minimum point and the points where the graph crosses the \(x\)-axis.
Edexcel C1 Q5
7 marks Standard +0.3
The sequence \(u_1, u_2, u_3, ...\) is defined by the recurrence relation $$u_{n+1} = (u_n)^2 - 1, \quad n \geq 1.$$ Given that \(u_1 = k\), where \(k\) is a constant,
  1. find expressions for \(u_2\) and \(u_3\) in terms of \(k\). [3]
Given also that \(u_2 + u_3 = 11\),
  1. find the possible values of \(k\). [4]
Edexcel C1 Q2
4 marks Moderate -0.8
A sequence is defined by the recurrence relation $$u_{n+1} = \frac{u_n + 1}{3}, \quad n = 1, 2, 3, ...$$ Given that \(u_3 = 5\),
  1. find the value of \(u_4\), [1]
  2. find the value of \(u_1\). [3]
OCR MEI C2 2010 June Q1
2 marks Easy -1.2
You are given that $$u_1 = 1,$$ $$u_{n+1} = \frac{u_n}{1 + u_n}.$$ Find the values of \(u_2\), \(u_3\) and \(u_4\). Give your answers as fractions. [2]
OCR MEI C2 Q6
4 marks Easy -1.8
Find the second and third terms in the sequence given by $$u_1 = 5,$$ $$u_{n+1} = u_n + 3.$$ Find also the sum of the first 50 terms of this sequence. [4]
SPS SPS SM 2025 October Q4
6 marks Moderate -0.8
  1. A sequence has terms \(u_1, u_2, u_3, \ldots\) defined by \(u_1 = 3\) and \(u_{n+1} = u_n^2 - 5\) for \(n \geq 1\).
    1. Find the values of \(u_2\), \(u_3\) and \(u_4\). [2]
    2. Describe the behaviour of the sequence. [1]
  2. The second, third and fourth terms of a geometric progression are 12, 8 and \(\frac{16}{3}\). Determine the sum to infinity of this geometric progression. [3]