How do you find the next three terms in the geometric sequence 4, -2, 1, -, ... ?

1 Answer
Nov 8, 2015

The common ratio of this sequence is #-1/2#, so the sequence goes:

#4,-2,1,-1/2,1/4,-1/8,...#

Explanation:

Geometric sequences have a fixed ratio between successive pairs of terms. in the case of this sequence, the common ratio is:

#(-2)/4 = -1/2#.

To find the next term in the sequence just multiply the previous term by the common ratio.

The general term of the sequence can be written:

#a_n = a_1 * r^(n-1)#

where #a_1# is the first term and #r# the common ratio.