Precalculus: Concepts Through Functions, A Unit Circle Approach to Trigonometry (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32193-104-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-32193-104-7

Chapter 11 - Sequences; Induction; the Binomial Theorem - Section 11.1 Sequences - 11.1 Assess Your Understanding - Page 827: 48

Answer

$a_1= \sqrt2$ $a_2 =\dfrac{\sqrt{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_3 =\dfrac{\sqrt[4]{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_4 = \dfrac{\sqrt[8]{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_5= \dfrac{\sqrt[16]{2\sqrt2}}{2}$

Work Step by Step

We are given that $a_n=\sqrt{\dfrac{a_n}{n}} $ and $a_1=\sqrt2$. In order to determine the remaining values, we will have to substitute $n=2,3,4,5$ into the given sequence. We use previous terms to compute the successive terms, as follows: $a_1= \sqrt2$ $a_2 = \sqrt{\dfrac{a_1}{2}} = \sqrt{\dfrac{\sqrt2}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\sqrt2}{2} \times \dfrac{2}{2}}=\dfrac{\sqrt{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_3 = \sqrt{\dfrac{a_2}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\frac{\sqrt{2\sqrt2}}{2}}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\sqrt{2\sqrt2}}{4}}=\dfrac{\sqrt{\sqrt{2\sqrt2}}}{2}=\dfrac{\sqrt[4]{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_4 = \sqrt{\dfrac{a_3}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\frac{\sqrt[4]{2\sqrt2}}{2}}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\sqrt[4]{2\sqrt2}}{4}}=\dfrac{\sqrt{\sqrt[4]{2\sqrt2}}}{2}=\dfrac{\sqrt[8]{2\sqrt2}}{2} \\ a_5= \sqrt{\dfrac{a_4}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\frac{\sqrt[8]{2\sqrt2}}{2}}{2}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\sqrt[8]{2\sqrt2}}{4}}=\dfrac{\sqrt{\sqrt[8]{2\sqrt2}}}{2}=\dfrac{\sqrt[16]{2\sqrt2}}{2}$
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