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u2 = 23 + 2 × 22 − 3 × 2 + 4
=8+2×4−6+4
=8+8−6+4
u2 = 14

We learn how to find the formula for the nth term below.

Method - Finding the formula for the nth

term
Given the first few terms of a cubic sequence, we find its formula

un = an3 + bn2 + cn + d

using the following four equations:

⎧
⎪ 6a = third difference
⎪
12a + 2b = 1st second difference
⎨
⎪
⎩
⎪
7a + 3b + c = difference between the first two terms
a + b + c + d = first term

This provides us with four equations, which we solve from top to bottom, to find
each of the four unknown coefficients a, b, c and d.

The four equations, stated above, can be a little confusing so we illustrate it here here
with an example.

Consider the sequence whose first few terms are:

4, 14, 40, 88, 164, …

The following illustration shows where each of the four equations, stated above, fits
in.:

We can see that the values that we use, the ones we've boxed in the illustration, are
always the first on each row.

We therefore have four equations to solve:

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⎧ 6a = 6
⎪
⎪
12a + 2b = 16
⎨
⎪
⎩
⎪
7a + 3b + c = 10
a+b+c+d=4

We solve these working from top to bottom. Each time we move-on to solve a new
equation we substitute the value we just found in the previous equations:

• equation 1:
We start with the first (top) equation:

6a = 6
6
a=
6
a=1

Now that we know the value of a, a = 1, we move-on to the second equation.

• equation 2:
We have to solve 12a + 2b = 16. Now that we know that a = 1 this becomes:

12 × 1 + 2b = 16
12 + 2b = 16
2b = 16 − 12
2b = 4
4
b=
2
b=2

Now that we know the value of b, b = 2, we move-on to the third equation.

• equation 3:
We have to solve 7a + 3b + c = 10. Since we know that a = 1 and b = 2 this
becomes:

7 × 1 + 3 × 2 + c = 10
7 + 6 + c = 10
13 + c = 10
c = 10 − 13
c = −3

Now that we know the value of c , c = −3, we move-on to the fourth equation.
• equation 4:
We have to solve a + b + c + d = 4. Since we know that a = 1, b = 2 and c = −3
this becomes:

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1+2−3+d=4
3−3+d=4
d=4

Now that we know the value of d, c = 4, we can finally state the formula for the
n-th term of this cubic sequence:

un = n3 + 2n2 − 3n + 4

Exercise
Find the formula for the nth term of each of the following sequences:

1. The sequence whose first few terms are:

4, 14, 40, 88, 164, …

2. The sequence whose first few terms are:

4, 23, 66, 145, 272, …

3. The sequence whose first few terms are:

−1, 1, −5, −25, −65, …

4. The sequence whose first few terms are:

1, 14, 65, 178, 377, …

5. The sequence whose first few terms are:

11, 6, −25, −100, −237, …

Answers w/out Working

Note: this exercise can be downloaded as a worksheet to practice with:

worksheet (cubic-sequences-worksheet-1.pdf)

Scan this QR-Code with your phone/tablet and view this page on your preferred device.

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