Exercise · ZW-HOMOGENEOUS-LINEAR-RECURRENCE-006 · ★★☆ Intermediate

If \(a_n=-a_{n-2}\), \(a_0=1\) and \(a_1=0\), what is \(a_{10}\)?

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  • D. −1

Explanation

The sequence is 1, 0, −1, 0, 1, 0, −1, … with period 4 (roots \(\pm i\)). Since 10 leaves remainder 2 on division by 4, \(a_{10}=a_2=-1\).

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Review the concept: Homogeneous linear recurrence

A homogeneous linear recurrence of order \(k\) expresses each term \(a_n\) as a combination of the previous \(k\) terms with constant coefficients \(c_1,\dots,c_k\), with no independent term.

\[a_n=c_1a_{n-1}+c_2a_{n-2}+\cdots+c_ka_{n-k},\quad c_k\neq0\]

More practice problems: homogeneous linear recurrence

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