## anonymous one year ago What are the first 5 terms of the sequence a1 - -2,an= 4an-1

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1. freckles

2. freckles

does - - mean = by chance?

3. freckles

Never seen that notation. I have only ever seen = to mean equal.

4. anonymous

Subtraction and Negative 2

5. freckles

$a_1--2,a_n=4a_n-1$ this?

6. freckles

this still doesn't make any sense

7. anonymous

Yes

8. freckles

maybe you mean this: $a_1 \color{red}{=}2 \\ a_n=4a_{\color{red}{n-1}} ?$

9. anonymous

Yes but it was written in another way or form

10. freckles

or this: $a_1 \color{red}{=}-2 \\ a_n=4a_{\color{red}{n-1}} ?$

11. freckles

How is it written then? And how could the answer by yes if it is written in another way?

12. freckles

Well I guess we can just do the one I think it is as an example so maybe you can try to do the one that is on your paper. $a_1=2 \\ a_n=4a_{n-1} \\ \text{ replace } n \text{ with } 2 \\ a_2=4a_{2-1} \\ a_2=4a_1 \\ \text{ you are given } a_1 \text{ in the first line here }$ so plug it in