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NAME DATE BAND

POLYGONAL NUMBERS -- SOLUTION
ADV PRECALCULUS | PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

First Figure
1 n
Second Figure
2 n
Third Figure
3 n
Fourth Figure
4 n
n th Figure
n n
Triangular
Numbers:
3 p
1 3 6 10
1 1+2 1+2+3 1+2+3+4

The sequence of numbers we are adding is 1, 2, 3, 4,
This sequence is arithmetic.
A formula for the nth term in this sequence is:

The number of dots in the nth figure is:


Square
Numbers:
4 p
1 4 9 16
1 1+3 1+3+5 1+3+5+7

The sequence of the numbers we are adding is 1, 3, 5, 7,
This sequence is arithmetic.
A formula for the nth term in this sequence is:

The number of dots in the nth figure is:


Pentagonal
Numbers:
5 p
1 5 12 22
1 1+4 1+4+7 1+4+7+10

The sequence of the numbers we are adding is 1, 4, 7, 10,
This sequence is arithmetic.
A formula for the nth term in this sequence is:

The number of dots in the nth figure is:




2
p -gon
Numbers

1
1

The sequence of the numbers we are adding is: __________________________
This sequence is arithmetic.
A formula for the nth term in this sequence is:

The number of dots in the nth figure is:



Check if your formula is right! If 76 p and 9 n , you should end up with 2673 dots. If your formula is close but not
quite right, think things through again!