Introduction: The aim in this task is to consider geometric shapes which lead to special numbers.

The simplest example of these are 2
numbers, 1, 4, 9, 16, which can be represented by
squares of side 1, 2, 3 and 4.

2
The first task is to complete the triangular numbers sequence with three more terms. Here are the
initial terms:

1 3 6 10 15

By looking at this sequence, we can create a picture of what the pattern is. From the first term to
the second term, there is an increase of 2, from the second to third is an increase of 3, and from
the third to the fourth is an increase of 4 etc.

The pattern is as follows:

Ͳ൅ͳ ൌͳ
ͳ൅ʹ ൌ͵
͵൅͵ ൌ͸
͸ ൅ Ͷ ൌ ͳͲ
ͳͲ ൅ ͷ ൌ ͳͷ
And from here it continues as:
ͳͷ ൅ ͸ ൌ ʹͳ
ʹͳ ൅ ͹ ൌ ʹͺ
ʹͺ ൅ ͺ ൌ ͵͸

2
The second task is to find a general statement that represents the ݊th triangular number in terms
of ݊.

Based on the pattern above, we can see that it is a sequence and not a series but also not an
arithmetic sequence since there is no fixed number being added (common difference) to each
number and it is not a geometric sequence because each number is not being multiplied by the
same constant (common ratio). Though it is neither geometric nor arithmetic, there is still a
pattern. The numbers added to each consecutive term go through the number line: 1+ , 3+
, 6+,
10+ and so on. To create a general statement for the ݊th number, we need sequence to be
arithmetic or geometric. Here the ratio comes into place:

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݊Τ where ݊ is the ݊௧௛ term and ‫ ݔ‬is the number of the ݊௧௛ term. This is puts the pattern in a
‫ݔ‬
ratio.
݊ ݊
ൌ
‫ݔ ݔ‬
݊ ͳ
ൌ
‫ͳ ݔ‬

݊ൌ‫ݔ‬

Using this as a base, we can repeat it for the rest of the terms in the sequence:
݊ ʹ ݊ ͵ ݊ Ͷ ݊ ͷ ݊ ૟ ࢔ ૠ ࢔ ૡ
ൌ ȉ ൌ ȉ ൌ ȉ ൌ ȉ ൌ ȉ ൌ ȉ ൌ 
‫ ݔ ͵ ݔ‬͸ ‫ͳ ݔ Ͳͳ ݔ‬ͷ ‫ ݔ‬૛૚ ࢞ ૛ૡ ࢞ ૜૟

Note that the bolded numbers are the three extra terms.
ଷ ହ ଻ ଽ
When simplified, the sequence is: ݊ǡ ݊ǡ ʹ݊ǡ ଶ ݊ǡ ͵݊ǡ ଶ ݊ǡ Ͷ݊ǡ ଶ ݊
ଶ
This is now in the format of an arithmetic sequence since one half is being added to each
consecutive term. We can now use the arithmetic sequence¶s formula for finding the ݊th term
which is: ‫ݑ‬௡ ൌ ‫ݑ‬ଵ ൅ ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ݀

We then substitute in what values we know to create the general statement.

௡ ௡
When ‫ݑ‬ଵ ൌ ݊ and ݀ ൌ so the general statement is ‫ݑ‬௡ ൌ ‫ݑ‬ଵ ൅ ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ
ଶ ଶ

To confirm this, test with ݊ ൌ Ͷand ‫ݑ‬௡ ൌ ͳͲ:

Ͷ
ͳͲ ൌ Ͷ ൅ ሺͶ െ ͳሻ
ʹ
Ͷ
ͳͲ ൌ Ͷ ൅ ሺ͵ሻ
ʹ
ͳͲ ൌ Ͷ ൅ ͸
ͳͲ ൌ ͳͲ hence this general statement is valid.
௡ మ ା௡
The general statement ultimately can be simplified to
ଶ

So it should the sequence should look as follows:

1 3 6 10 15 21 28 36




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2

Task 3 is based on the stellar shapes with ® vertices, leading to ®-stellar numbers. In this task we
have to find the number of dots in each stage up to
.
The initial terms are:

The number of dots in each term is as follows:

ଵ ൌͳ
ଶ ൌ ͳ͵
ଷ ൌ ͵͹
 ൌ ͹͵
࢙૞ ൌ ૚૛૚
࢙૟ ൌ ૚ૡ૚

The patter is as follows:

ͳ൅Ͳ ൌͳ
ͳ ൅ ͳʹ ൌ ͳ͵
ͳ͵ ൅ ʹͶ ൌ ͵͹
͵͹ ൅ ͵͸ ൌ ͹͵
ૠ૜ ൅ ૝ૡ ൌ ૚૛૚
૚૛૚ ൅ ૟૙ ൌ ૚ૡ૚
Note that bold are the terms added.

Based on this pattern, each term is found by the previous term being added to by multiples of 12
starting at 0: ͳ ൅ ૙ ൌ ͳǡ ͳ ൅ ૚૛ ൌ ͳ͵ǡ ͳ͵ ൅ ૛૝ ൌ ͵͹ܽ݊݀͵͹ ൅ ૜૟ ൌ ͹͵. However the multiple
is one less than the ݊ of each term. For example when ݊ ൌ ͵, ͳʹ ൈ ʹ when ݊ ൌ Ͷǡ ͳʹ ൈ ͵. The
pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it.

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2
In task 4 we have to find an expression for the 6-stellar number at stage ଻.

This can be done using the patterns found in the previous task so the expression is:
଻ ൌ
൅ ͳʹሺ݊ െ ͳሻ
Which would become when
ൌ ͳͺͳܽ݊݀݊ ൌ ͹
଻ ൌ ͳͺͳ ൅ ͳʹሺ͹ െ ͳሻ
଻ ൌ ͳͺͳ ൅ ͳʹሺ͸ሻ
଻ ൌ ͳͺͳ ൅ ͹ʹ
଻ ൌ ʹͷ͵

2
The fifth task is to find a general statement for the 6-stellar number at stage ௡ in terms of ݊.
௡ሺ௡ାଵሻ
Using the general statement from task 2 which is:
ଶ
Using this statement, we have to modify it so that it suits the needs of the 6-stellar number by
using the patterns found in task 3, one less than the ݊௧௛ and the extra one. We need to do so since
the ݊Τ‫ ݔ‬ratio does not apply here. This would then lead to ݊ ൌ ͳʹ݊ since each term is multiplied
by the multiples of 12, ሺ݊ ൅ ͳሻ to ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ since each of the numbers that 12 is multiplied to is
one less than the ݊ of the term, and the additional 1 since the pattern starts initially with 1 before
ଵଶ௡ሺ௡ିଵሻ
anything is added to it. This then results in the task 3 general statement to become:
ଶ
൅
ͳ ൌ ͸݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ. This is the general statement for the 6-stellar number.

2 
The sixth task is to repeat the steps above for other values of ® where ® is the number of vertices
on the star. For example the 6-stellar has a ® ൌ ͸ and a 5-stellar has a ® ൌ ͷ.
I will be repeating the steps for 4-stellar and 5-stellar.

For ® ൌ Ͷ or 4-stellar numbers, these are the values to :

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 ଵ ଶ ଷ 

The number of dots in each is as follows:

ଵ ൌͳ
ଶ ൌ ͻ
ଷ ൌ ʹͷ
 ൌ Ͷͻ
࢙૞ ൌ ૡ૚
࢙૟ ൌ ૚૛૚

The pattern is as follows:

ͳ൅Ͳ ൌͳ
ͳ൅ͺ ൌͻ
ͻ ൅ ͳ͸ ൌ ʹͷ
ʹͷ ൅ ʹͶ ൌ Ͷͻ
૝ૢ ൅ ૜૛ ൌ ૡ૚
ૡ૚ ൅ ૝૙ ൌ ૚૛૚
The bolded terms are not present in the diagram.

In this sequence, we can see that each term is found by adding a multiple of 8 to the previous
term, the multiple is one less than the ݊ of the term and the sequence starts initially with 1 before
anything is added to it. Using this pattern, we can construct an expression for ଻ which is:
଻ ൌ
൅ ͺሺ݊ െ ͳሻ which would then become when
ൌ ͳʹͳǡ ݊ ൌ ͹:
଻ ൌ ͳʹͳ ൅ ͺሺ͹ െ ͳሻ
଻ ൌ ͳʹͳ ൅ ͺሺ͸ሻ
଻ ൌ ͳʹͳ ൅ Ͷͺ
଻ ൌ ͳ͸ͻ
From this we can get the general statement by adjusting the statement we gained from task 2,
௡ሺ௡ାଵሻ
.
ଶ
Here we need to replace ݊ with ͺ݊ since each term is multiplied by multiples of 8, ሺ݊ ൅ ͳሻ
toሺ݊ െ ͳሻ since each of the numbers that 8 is multiplied is one less than the ݊ of the term, and

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the additional 1 since the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it. This will
௡ሺ௡ିଵሻ
result in the general statement to become: ൅ ͳ ൌ Ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ.
ଶ
The sequence should now look as follows:

ଵ ଶ ଷ  ହ

To test the validity of this statement, use ݊ ൌ ͵ where ݊ is the term number.

ൌ Ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
௡
ଷ ൌ Ͷሺ͵ሻሺ͵ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͳʹሺʹሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ʹͶ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ʹͷ
This general statement is valid

For ® ൌ ͷ or 5-stellar numbers, these are the values to :

ଵ ଶ ଷ 
The number of dots in each is as follows:
ଵ ൌͳ
ଶ ൌ ͳͳ
ଷ ൌ ͵ͳ
 ൌ ͸ͳ
࢙૞ ൌ ૚૙૚
࢙૟ ൌ ૚૞૚

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The pattern is as follows:
ͳ൅Ͳ ൌͳ
ͳ ൅ ͳͲ ൌ ͳͳ
ͳͳ ൅ ʹͲ ൌ ͵ͳ
͵ͳ ൅ ͵Ͳ ൌ ͸ͳ
૟૚ ൅ ૝૙ ൌ ૚૙૚
૚૙૚ ൅ ૞૙ ൌ ૚૞૚
The bolded terms are not present in the diagram.

In this sequence, we can see that each term is found by adding a multiple of 10 to the previous
term, the multiple is one less than the ݊ of the term and the sequence starts initially with 1 before
anything is added to it. Using this pattern, we can construct an expression for ଻ which is:
଻ ൌ
൅ ͳͲሺ݊ െ ͳሻ which would then become when
ൌ ͳͷͳǡ ݊ ൌ ͹:
଻ ൌ ͳͷͳ ൅ ͳͲሺ͹ െ ͳሻ
଻ ൌ ͳͷͳ ൅ ͳͲሺ͸ሻ
଻ ൌ ͳͷͳ ൅ ͸Ͳ
଻ ൌ ʹͳͳ
From this we can get the general statement by adjusting the statement we gained from task 2,
௡ሺ௡ାଵሻ
.
ଶ
Here we need to replace ݊ with ͳͲ݊ since each term is multiplied by multiples of 10, ሺ݊ ൅ ͳሻ
toሺ݊ െ ͳሻ since each of the numbers that 10 is multiplied is one less than the ݊ of the term, and
the additional 1 since the pattern starts initially with 1 before anything is added to it. This will
ଵ଴௡ሺ௡ିଵሻ
result in the general statement to become:
ଶ
൅ ͳ ൌ ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ.
The sequence should now look as follows:

ଵ ଶ ଷ  ହ

To test the validity of this statement, use ݊ ൌ ͵ where ݊ is the term number.

௡ ൌ ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͷሺ͵ሻሺ͵ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͳͷሺʹሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͵Ͳ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͵ͳ

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This general statement is valid

Another way to get a general statement is through means of technology. I will be using a
calculator.
Calculator used: TI-84 Plus Silver Edition
From the following table, enter ݊ into List 1 and ܵ௡ into List 2
݊ 1 2 3 4
ܵ௡ 1 11 31 61
After, use the calculation function to calculate the Quadratic regression using List 1 and List 2.
It displays
QuadReg
‫ ݕ‬ൌ ܽ‫ ݔ‬ଶ ൅ ܾ‫ ݔ‬൅ ܿ
ܽൌͷ
ܾ ൌ െͷ
ܿൌͳ
Substitute in the known values for ܽǡ ܾand ܿ and substitute ݊ for ‫ ݔ‬and ܵ௡ for ‫ݕ‬.
ܵ௡ ൌ ͷ݊ଶ െ ͷ݊ ൅ ͳ

To test the validity, use ݊ ൌ Ͷ

ܵ ൌ ͷሺͶሻଶ െ ͷሺͶሻ ൅ ͳ
ܵ ൌ ͷሺͳ͸ሻ െ ʹͲ ൅ ͳ
ܵ ൌ ͺͲ െ ʹͲ ൅ ͳ
ܵ ൌ ͸ͳ

This general statement is valid.

2
The seventh task is to produce a general statement, in terms of ® and ݊, that generates the
sequence of ®-stellar numbers for any value of ® at stage ܵ௡ .

When looking at all the general statements for 4-stellar, 5-stellar, and 6-stellar at ܵ௡ in terms on
݊, they are Ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ, ͷ݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ, and ͸݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ respectivley. One can see that
there is a pattern and they are almost identical except for the first term however all the first terms
are equal to each of their ® values respectively so therefore we can say that the general statement
in terms of ® and ݊ is: ܵ௡ ൌ ®ሺ݊ሻሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ.

2
The next task is to test the validity of the general statement.

To do so we can use the next stellar shape.

To test the validity, use ® ൌ ͹ and ݊ ൌ ͵

ܵ௡ ൌ ®ሺ݊ሻሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ܵଷ ൌ ͹ሺ͵ሻሺ͵ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ܵଷ ൌ ʹͳሺʹሻ ൅ ͳ
ܵଷ ൌ Ͷʹ ൅ ͳ

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ܵଷ ൌ Ͷ͵

Since ܵଵ must be equal to 1, we can use the general statement for 7-stellar to see if the above is
true.
௡ ൌ ͹݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ͹ሺ͵ሻሺ͵ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ ʹͳሺʹሻ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ Ͷʹ ൅ ͳ
ଷ ൌ Ͷ͵

The general statement in terms of ® and ݊ is valid.




2
2iscuss the scope or limitations of the general statement.

The test of the validity in Task 8 shows that the scope of the general statement lies within all
stellar numbers, or stars. The ® value given the fact that it is the number of vertices cannot be a
fraction nor can it be a negative number. The ܵ௡ also cannot be a fraction or a negative number
because it is the total number of dots and you cannot have a fraction of a dot or a negative dot
nor can the ݊ since it is the term number.

2
Explain how you arrived at the general statement.

I arrived at the general statement by first looking at the other general statements for each
individual stellar number and finding the relationship between them. I saw that they were all
identical except for the first term i.e. ૝݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ, ૞݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ, and ૟݊ሺ݊ െ ͳሻ ൅ ͳ so to
make a general statement in terms of ® and ݊, I just replaced the number with ® since I realized
that the numbers were the same as the number of vertices the star had.

c