Background image of landing

Unrivalled
Education
Solutions for your
Family

How do you find the nth term of 2, 5, 8, 11?

To determine the nnth term of the sequence 2,5,8,112, 5, 8, 11, we can use the formula:

3n1.3n - 1.

This sequence is classified as an arithmetic sequence, where each term increases by a consistent difference. To find the nnth term, we first need to establish the common difference. By subtracting the first term from the second term (525 - 2), we discover that the common difference is 33. This indicates that each term is 33 greater than the preceding term.

Next, we will express the nnth term in terms of nn. The general formula for the nnth term of an arithmetic sequence is given by:

a+(n1)d,a + (n-1)d,

where aa represents the first term and dd denotes the common difference. In our sequence, we have a=2a = 2 and d=3d = 3.

Substituting these values into the formula yields:

nth term=2+(n1)×3.\text{nth term} = 2 + (n-1) \times 3.

Now, we can simplify this expression:

nth term=2+3(n1)\text{nth term} = 2 + 3(n-1) =2+3n3= 2 + 3n - 3 =3n1.= 3n - 1.

Thus, the nnth term of the sequence 2,5,8,112, 5, 8, 11 can be expressed using the formula:

3n1.3n - 1.

This formula enables you to calculate any term in the sequence by substituting the desired position number (nn) into it. For instance, to find the 4th term, substitute n=4n = 4 into the formula:

3(4)1=121=11,3(4) - 1 = 12 - 1 = 11,

which confirms that the 4th term in the sequence is indeed 1111.

Answered by: Prof. Alan Smith
A-Level Physics Tutor
Medal Icon

100%

Globe Icon

Global

Crest Icon

97%

Professional Tutors

International Tuition

Independent School Entrance Success

All of our elite tutors are full-time professionals, with at least five years of tuition experience and over 5000 accrued teaching hours in their subject.

Based in Cambridge, with operations spanning the globe, we can provide our services to support your family anywhere.

Our families consistently gain offers from at least one of their target schools, including Eton, Harrow, Wellington and Wycombe Abbey.

Medal Icon

100%

Professional Tutors

All of our elite tutors are full-time professionals, with at least five years of tuition experience and over 5000 accrued teaching hours in their subject.

Globe Icon

Global

International Tuition

Based in Cambridge, with operations spanning the globe, we can provide our services to support your family anywhere.

Crest Icon

97%

Independent School Entrance Success

Our families consistently gain offers from at least one of their target schools, including Eton, Harrow, Wellington and Wycombe Abbey.

Book a free
30-minute consultation
session

At the Beyond Tutors we recognise that no two students are the same. 

That’s why we’ve transcended the traditional online tutoring model of cookie-cutter solutions to intricate educational problems. Instead, we devise a bespoke tutoring plan for each individual student, to support you on your path to academic success.

To help us understand your unique educational needs, we provide a free 30-minute consultation with one of our founding partners, so we can devise the tutoring plan that’s right for you.

To ensure we can best prepare for this consultation, we ask you to fill out the short form below.

Hire a Tutor

All the form fields are optional, but we ask you to provide as much information as possible so that we are in a better position to quickly meet your tutoring requirements.

Still have questions?
Let's get in touch