Show Arithmetic Sequence: V0=4, Vn+1=√Vn2+2n+3

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a recursive sequence defined by V0=4 and V_{n+1}=\sqrt{V_{n}^{2}+2n+3}. Participants are tasked with demonstrating that this sequence is arithmetic.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the definition of the sequence and question the notation used, particularly the term Un. Some participants attempt to derive expressions for Vn and discuss the implications of their calculations.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of the terms of the sequence, with participants recalculating values and discussing the common difference. Some guidance has been provided regarding the need to prove the arithmetic nature of the sequence through mathematical induction.

Contextual Notes

Participants have noted discrepancies in their calculations of the sequence terms and are encouraged to verify their results. The original poster's confusion regarding the notation and the arithmetic nature of the sequence has prompted clarifications and corrections from others.

mtayab1994
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Homework Statement


V0=4

[tex]V_{n+1}=\sqrt{V_{n}^{2}+2n+3}[/tex]

Homework Equations


Show that Un is an arithmetic sequence.


The Attempt at a Solution


I counted Vn and i found that it equals:

[tex]V_{n}=\sqrt{(Vn+2)^{2}+2}[/tex]

what is there to do after this?
 
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mtayab1994 said:

Homework Statement


V0=4

[tex]V_{n+1}=\sqrt{V_{n}^{2}+2n+3}[/tex]

Homework Equations


Show that Un is an arithmetic sequence.

The Attempt at a Solution


I counted Vn and i found that it equals:

[tex]V_{n}=\sqrt{(Vn+2)^{2}+2}[/tex]

What is there to do after this?
What is Un? Is that a typo, or is Un = (Vn)2 ?
 
SammyS said:
What is Un? Is that a typo, or is Un = (Vn)2 ?

No there is no Un at all.
 
mtayab1994 said:
...

Homework Equations


Show that Un is an arithmetic sequence.

That looks like a Un to me.

BTW: How do you count Vn ?
 
SammyS said:
That looks like a Un to me.

BTW: How do you count Vn ?

Sorry it's show that Vn is arithmetic
 
mtayab1994 said:
Sorry it's show that Vn is arithmetic

Well, it clearly can't be, because [itex]V_0 = 4[/itex], [itex]V_1 = \sqrt{19}[/itex] and [itex]V_2 = \sqrt{24}[/itex] and [itex]V_2 - V_1 \neq V_1 - V_0[/itex] establishing that there is no common difference.
 
sorry V0=1

V0=1 V1=√6 V2=√11 V3=√16


I found that Un=1+√(1+5n)

And i know that arithmetic series are written as Un=Up+nr

so: Up=1 and r=5 therefore you get: Un=1+√(1+5n)

is that all I have to do?
 
mtayab1994 said:
sorry V0=1

V0=1 V1=√6 V2=√11 V3=√16


I found that Un=1+√(1+5n)

And i know that arithmetic series are written as Un=Up+nr

so: Up=1 and r=5 therefore you get: Un=1+√(1+5n)

is that all I have to do?

What is [itex]U_n[/itex]? You've only defined what [itex]V_n[/itex] is so far.
 
By asking what [itex]U_n[/itex] is, I don't mean just quote a formula which you've derived. Please define exactly what [itex]U_n[/itex] is supposed to represent.

It might be better if you reproduced the exact question in its original form, word for word.
 
  • #10
Curious3141 said:
By asking what [itex]U_n[/itex] is, I don't mean just quote a formula which you've derived. Please define exactly what [itex]U_n[/itex] is supposed to represent.

It might be better if you reproduced the exact question in its original form, word for word.

well the general form of an arithmetic series is :

Un=Up+nr and in my case Un is Vn and Up is V0 and r is 5 so i get:

[tex]V_{n}=1+\sqrt{1+5n}[/tex]
 
  • #11
mtayab1994 said:
well the general form of an arithmetic series is :

Un=Up+nr and in my case Un is Vn and Up is V0 and r is 5 so i get:

[tex]V_{n}=1+\sqrt{1+5n}[/tex]

OK, it's all clearer now. Part of the confusion lay in the fact that you had miscalculated the terms for [itex]V_n[/itex] repeatedly.

Forget about trying to fit things into a particular form for now. Let's start by looking at some values of [itex]V_n[/itex], correctly computed.

Please recalculate [itex]V_1, V_2, V_3[/itex] and [itex]V_4[/itex] very carefully, and you'll see a much simpler pattern emerging. We'll take it from there.
 
  • #12
After you do that, you will need to find a closed form expression for [itex]V_n[/itex] (the one you previously derived is clearly wrong), then formally prove it with mathematical induction. Once that's done, it'll become immediately apparent that [itex]V_n[/itex] is the general term of an arithmetic progression (in fact, one of the simplest and most well-known arithmetic progressions).
 
  • #13
curious3141 said:
after you do that, you will need to find a closed form expression for [itex]v_n[/itex] (the one you previously derived is clearly wrong), then formally prove it with mathematical induction. Once that's done, it'll become immediately apparent that [itex]v_n[/itex] is the general term of an arithmetic progression (in fact, one of the simplest and most well-known arithmetic progressions).

alright i'll count them right now.
 
  • #14
i keep getting V0=1 V1=√6 V2=√11 V3=√16

idk what is wrong?
 
  • #15
mtayab1994 said:
i keep getting V0=1 V1=√6 V2=√11 V3=√16

idk what is wrong?

V0 = 1 (given)

V1 = sqrt(1 + 2*0 + 3) = sqrt (4) = ?

Once you get V1 wrong, the rest will be wrong too, so restart from here.

You were probably doing sqrt(1+2*1 + 3), but remember the index for the initial term is zero.
 
  • #16
Wow I didn't pay attention to that sorry:

V0=1 V1=2 V2=3 V3=4 and so one

so the general difference is 1
 
  • #17
Curious3141 said:
V0 = 1 (given)

V1 = sqrt(1 + 2*0 + 3) = sqrt (4) = ?

Once you get V1 wrong, the rest will be wrong too, so restart from here.

You were probably doing sqrt(1+2*1 + 3), but remember the index for the initial term is zero.

Yes I didn't pay attention to that.
 
  • #18
Vn in terms of n is Vn=1+n
 
  • #19
To check I did Vn+1-Vn=2+n-1-2=1

so the common difference is 1.

do i also have to so Vn+2-Vn+1?
 
  • #20
mtayab1994 said:
To check I did Vn+1-Vn=2+n-1-2=1

so the common difference is 1.

do i also have to so Vn+2-Vn+1?

No need. You've now got an expression for [itex]V_n[/itex]. You need to prove it.

Two ways.

First is a direct proof, which might proceed like so:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = V_{n-1}^2 + 2(n-1) + 3[/tex]

[tex]V_{n-1}^2 = V_{n-2}^2 + 2(n-2) + 3[/tex]

...

[tex]V_1^2 = V_0^2 + 2(0) + 3[/tex]

then successively substituting the equation below into the one above until one gets:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = V_0^2 + 2(\frac{1}{2})(n-1)(n) + 3n[/tex]

which can be simplified to:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = {(n+1)}^2[/tex]

[tex]V_{n} = n+1[/tex]

Fairly simple. But I would recommend the second method, mathematical induction. Try and do this as an exercise, and post your results here.
 
  • #21
Curious3141 said:
No need. You've now got an expression for [itex]V_n[/itex]. You need to prove it.

Two ways.

First is a direct proof, which might proceed like so:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = V_{n-1}^2 + 2(n-1) + 3[/tex]

[tex]V_{n-1}^2 = V_{n-2}^2 + 2(n-2) + 3[/tex]

...

[tex]V_1^2 = V_0^2 + 2(0) + 3[/tex]

then successively substituting the equation below into the one above until one gets:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = V_0^2 + 2(\frac{1}{2})(n-1)(n) + 3n[/tex]

which can be simplified to:

[tex]V_{n}^2 = {(n+1)}^2[/tex]

[tex]V_{n} = n+1[/tex]

Fairly simple. But I would recommend the second method, mathematical induction. Try and do this as an exercise, and post your results here.

I posted my mathematical induction on a different thread. I called it Math Series. Please go check it out and tell me if its good.
 
  • #22
mtayab1994 said:
I posted my mathematical induction on a different thread. I called it Math Series. Please go check it out and tell me if its good.

Just to round off your answer, state that [itex]V_n[/itex] is an arithmetic progression (AP) because [itex]V_{n+1} - V_{n} = 1[/itex], which is a constant (the common difference). Hence the AP has first term 1 and common difference 1. In fact, the sequence comprises the natural numbers.

I took a brief look at the other thread - it's an unrelated question. Afraid I can't look at this now as it's past 1 am my local time and I need to sleep, so someone else may step in and help you. However to do the induction for this problem, you need to establish the result for [itex]V_1[/itex] (show that what you work out from the recursive square root formula, i.e. [itex]\sqrt{1 + 2(0) + 3}[/itex] is equal to the closed form formula, i.e. [itex]1+1[/itex], which is trivial, then prove that assuming the result for a particular [itex]V_k[/itex] leads to the result for the next term [itex]V_{k+1}[/itex]. This is just simple algebra.

Having given you this hint, I'll turn in now. Good luck.
 
Last edited:
  • #23
Curious3141 said:
Just to round off your answer, state that [itex]V_n[/itex] is an arithmetic progression (AP) because [itex]V_{n+1} - V_{n} = 1[/itex], which is a constant (the common difference). Hence the AP has first term 1 and common difference 1. In fact, the sequence comprises the natural numbers.

I took a brief look at the other thread - it's an unrelated question. Afraid I can't look at this now as it's past 1 am my local time and I need to sleep, so someone else may step in and help you. However to do the induction for this problem, you need to establish the result for [itex]V_1[/itex] (show that what you work out from the recursive square root formula, i.e. [itex]\sqrt{1 + 2(0) + 3}[/itex] is equal to the closed form formula, i.e. [itex]1+1[/itex], which is trivial, then prove that assuming the result for a particular [itex]V_k[/itex] leads to the result for the next term [itex]V_{k+1}[/itex]. This is just simple algebra.

Having given you this hint, I'll turn in now. Good luck.

Thank you very very very much for your help.
 
  • #24
mtayab1994 said:
Thank you very very very much for your help.

You're welcome. You're also welcome to post the crucial inductive step of your proof for this problem here, and I (or someone else) can check it. Unless you're sure of it, then it's OK.
 
  • #25
Curious3141 said:
You're welcome. You're also welcome to post the crucial inductive step of your proof for this problem here, and I (or someone else) can check it. Unless you're sure of it, then it's OK.

Yea I'm sure of it thank you anyway.
 

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