Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.

College of Arts & Sciences

RECURRENCE RELATION & CLOSED FORM EXPRESSION

Recurrence Relation is an equation that defines a sequence based

on a rule that gives the next term as a function of the previous term.
An equation is said to be in a Closed-Form Solution if it solves a
given problem in terms of functions and mathematical operations from a
given generally-accepted set.

Study the following examples.

Given the following sequence, give the Recurrence relation and its
closed form formula.

1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,….
2. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,….
3. 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17,…
Solution:
1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,….
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,….n
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6…. an

Recurrence Relation Closed Form Formula

Begin with To get the closed form, you need the
a1 = 1 recurrence relation.
Using an = (an-1) + 1
a2 = a 1 + 1 a1 = 1 = 1(1)
a3 = a 2 + 1 a2 = (1) + 1 = 1(2)
a3 = (1+1) + 1 = 1(3)
a4 = a 3 + 1 a4 = (1+1+1)+ 1 = 1(4)
what did you notice? what did you observe?

The next term an is equal to the One (1) is being added to itself
“n” times.
previous term an-1 added by 1. a1 = 1
Therefore, the recurrence relation for the a2 = 2
sequence is a3 = 3
a4 = 4
an = an-1 + 1
therefore, what is an ?

an = n
(you may do checking on your notebook)
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College of Arts & Sciences

2. 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,….

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, ….
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6…. an

Try to identify the pattern.

1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, ….

x2 x2 x2 x2 x2

To get the next term, you just need to multiply the previous term by 2.

Recurrence Relation Closed Form Formula

a1 = 1 Using an = 2an-1
a2 = a 1 * 2 a1 = 1 =1
a2 = 2(1) =2
a3 = a 2 * 2 a3 = 2(2(1)) = 2*2
a4 = a 3 * 2 a4 = 2(2(2(1))) = 2*2*2
what did you observe?
what did you notice?
Two (2) is multiplied to itself
The next term an is equal to the (n-1) times.
a1 = 2 0
previous term an-1 multiplied by 2.
a2 = 2 1
Therefore, the recurrence relation for the a3 = 2 2
sequence is a4 = 2 3
an = an-1 * 2
therefore, what is an ?
or better

an = 2an-1 an = 2n-1

Given : 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, ….

Find the nth term using the closed form an = 2n-1
a. 5th term (a5)?
a5 = 2(5-1) = 24 = 16
b. 10th term (a10)?
a10 = 2(10-1) = 29 = 512
c. 21st term (a21)?
a21 = 2(21-1) = 220 = 1,048,576
 Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.
College of Arts & Sciences
3. 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17,…

2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17, ….
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6…. an

Try to identify the pattern.

2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17, ….

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5

Recurrence Relation Closed Form Formula

a1 = 2 Using an = an-1 + n – 1
a1 = 2 (n-1)
a2 = a1 +1
a2 = 2 + 1 (2-1=1)
a3 = a2 +2 a3 = 2 + 1 + 2 (3-1=2)
a4 = 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 (4-1=3)
a4 = a3 +3
a5 = 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 (5-1=4)
a5 = a3 +4 what did you observe?
what did you notice?
Two (2) is being added to the sum of the
sequence (1, 2,3,4,5,6,….,n-1)
The next term an is equal to the
previous term an-1 added by n-1. Recall that the sum of the sequence
(𝑛)(𝑛+1)
Therefore, the recurrence relation for the 1+2+3+4+5+…+n =
2
sequence is

an = an-1 + n – 1 a1 = 2
a2 = 2 + 1
a3 = 2 + 1 + 2
a4 = 2 + 1 + 2 + 3
a5 = 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4
an = 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4+…+(n-1)

Therefore,
(𝑛−1)(𝑛−1+1)
an = 2 +
2
(𝑛−1)(𝑛)
an = 2 +
2
𝑛(𝑛−1)
an = 2 +
2
using the closed form, find a4, a8 & a10
 Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.
College of Arts & Sciences

Math 101 Mathematics in the Modern World

ACTIVITY # 2

Name: _____________________________________________ Score: __________

Course/ Section: _____________________________________ Date: ___________

Given the following sequence, find the

A. Recurrence relation
B. Corresponding closed form formula
C. 5th, 9th, 15th and 20th terms using the closed form formula.
Print this page as this will be collected

1. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….

2. 0, -1, -2, -3, -4, -5,…

1 1 1 1
3. 1, , , , ,…
2 4 8 16