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For instance, the sequence 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, . . . is an arithmetic progression with a common difference of 2. If the initial term of an arithmetic progression is a 1 {\displaystyle a_{1}} and the common difference of successive members is d {\displaystyle d} , then the n {\displaystyle n} -th term of the sequence ( a n {\displaystyle a_{n ...
Yuri Matiyasevich was able to show that the Fibonacci numbers can be defined by a Diophantine equation, which led to his solving Hilbert's tenth problem. [70] The Fibonacci numbers are also an example of a complete sequence. This means that every positive integer can be written as a sum of Fibonacci numbers, where any one number is used once at ...
In contrast, direct methods attempt to solve the problem by a finite sequence of operations. In the absence of rounding errors , direct methods would deliver an exact solution (for example, solving a linear system of equations A x = b {\displaystyle A\mathbf {x} =\mathbf {b} } by Gaussian elimination ).
The sequence of numbers involved is sometimes referred to as the hailstone sequence, hailstone numbers or hailstone numerals (because the values are usually subject to multiple descents and ascents like hailstones in a cloud), [5] or as wondrous numbers. [6] Paul Erdős said about the Collatz conjecture: "Mathematics may not be ready for such ...
Other examples of sequences include those made up of rational numbers, real numbers and complex numbers. The sequence (.9, .99, .999, .9999, ...), for instance, approaches the number 1. In fact, every real number can be written as the limit of a sequence of rational numbers (e.g. via its decimal expansion, also see completeness of the real ...
The ordinary generating function of a sequence can be expressed as a rational function (the ratio of two finite-degree polynomials) if and only if the sequence is a linear recursive sequence with constant coefficients; this generalizes the examples above. Conversely, every sequence generated by a fraction of polynomials satisfies a linear ...
In computer science and mathematics, the Josephus problem (or Josephus permutation) is a theoretical problem related to a certain counting-out game. Such games are used to pick out a person from a group, e.g. eeny, meeny, miny, moe. A drawing for the Josephus problem sequence for 500 people and skipping value of 6.
For example, the sequence 2, 6, 18, 54, ... is a geometric progression with a common ratio of 3. Similarly 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, ... is a geometric sequence with a common ratio of 1/2. Examples of a geometric sequence are powers r k of a fixed non-zero number r, such as 2 k and 3 k. The general form of a geometric sequence is