What Is the Recurrence Relation for the Sequence 1, 1, 2, 5, 12, 47?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding a recurrence relation for the sequence 1, 1, 2, 5, 12, 47, and explores the nature of such relations, particularly in the context of potentially non-elementary sequences.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various methods to identify a recurrence relation, including examining differences between terms and considering the implications of having no elementary relation. Questions arise about the nature of recurrence relations and whether functions of n can qualify as such.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering different perspectives on how to approach the problem. Some suggest examining additional terms to clarify the sequence's behavior, while others question the completeness of the information provided. There is no explicit consensus on the nature of the recurrence relation yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of having the complete sequence and any additional terms to facilitate a more accurate analysis. There is also mention of Sloane's encyclopedia of integer sequences, indicating a potential reference point for similar sequences.

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Homework Statement


Find the recurrence relation to

1,1,2,5,12,47,...

The Attempt at a Solution


Made all sorts of attempts. I'm not experienced with these things.

Was there a site that works these things out for you?
 
Last edited:
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Do you have more terms? It might have no elementary relation. If you have more terms, list the difference between each consecutive terms. This forms a new sequence, do the same to this sequence. Keep doing it until the difference is a constant number. If it took you n times to do it, the relation is a polynomial of degree n.
 
What happens if there is no elementary recurrence relation? What recurrence relation might it have then?
 
I can give you one more term in the recurrence relation,
1,1,2,5,12,47,135,...

It is most likely non elementary
 
Why don't you post the entire question here without truncating the series? Otherwise, it'll be difficult for the posters here to figure out the answer without even having the complete question to begin with.
 
Would it still be a recurrence relation if the relation was a function of n only? i.e a_n = f(n) where f(n) is a function of n.

What if a_n=f(n) where a_0 is in f(n)? Is a_n still a recurrence relation?
 
Depends what f(n) is. For example if f(n) = 2^n, then yours sequence is still the recurrence relation a_0 =1 , a_n+1 = 2 a_n.
 
Gib Z said:
Depends what f(n) is. For example if f(n) = 2^n, then yours sequence is still the recurrence relation a_0 =1 , a_n+1 = 2 a_n.

So if the question stated give any recurrence relation and I wrote down f(n)=2^n and only that , would it be full marks?
 
No you should probably put it in the form I did for full marks.
 
  • #10
It's not in Sloane, surprisingly.
 
  • #11
maze said:
It's not in Sloane, surprisingly.

What do you mean? I don't understand.
 
  • #12
Sloane's rather comprehensive encyclopedia of integer sequences.
 

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