<p>Hey, happy holidays! Anyway, I have an SAT math problem, and I have no idea how you would solve it without writing every single "term" out as you'll see in the problem. Is there a rule or formula for this? Please help me! Thanks!</p>
<p>The first term of a sequence is -3 and every term after the first is 5 more than the term immediately preceding it. What is the value of the 101st term?</p>
<p>(The answer is 497.)</p>
<p>uhh let's see here 5(x-1) -3 ...</p>
<p>LOL silly American!!! All you have to do is add 100 to the first term given to arive at the correct answer. Remember, they told you that each term is 5 more that the preceding term, so the 101st term would have to be 500 more than the 1st term. Happy holidays!!!</p>
<p>There are also formulas for sequence problems if you can't figure them out yourself</p>
<p>Here is a general approach to this problem. Consider the first term zero. Now add 100 terms to that to get 500. Now the first term was really -3, so subtract 3 from all terms. This means that term101 = 500-3 = 497. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>PS: DO NOT USE THIS SAME STRATEGY FOR GEOMETRIC SEQUENCES!</p>
<p>This is a perfect example of what is wrong with american math education. This is a very basic math problem, requiring only a little bit of abstract thought to arrive at a solution. However, rather than do this, the OP wonders if there is a formula for it. Why do our schools teach kids to know formulas rather than to solve problems? No wonder so many Americans hate math so much.</p>
<p>I realize this thread is very likely a joke. But the fact remains that, whether in jest or not, it demonstrates a very serious problem...</p>
<p>Yeah, I can see where you're going. I think our system places too much emphasis on "plugging for a magic solution," rather than actually "thinking."</p>
<p>um...?</p>
<p>Hey, what's an OP?</p>
<p>Heh, you, but he's not trying to single you out..</p>
<p>Uh, yeah I kinda got that the OP was me. I just wanted to know what it stood for or whatever... :rolleyes:</p>
<p>op = orignial poster</p>
<p>Werd to whomever said that American Math sucks. You know it's something like less than half of America is proficient in 8th grade math?</p>
<p>"This is a perfect example of what is wrong with American [sic] math education. This is a very basic math problem, requiring only a little bit of abstract thought to arrive at a solution."</p>
<p>No offense, but the SAT is not a suitable venue to show your ability to have "abstract thoughts." If you have a formula, you should use it.</p>
<p>congrats paris23, your ability and this single math question is suddenly representative of the entire American educational system. It's so amazing it's silly.</p>
<p>Ok...all I wanted to know was if there was a formula to solve this kind of problem or not. If there is, great--if there isn't, hey. No offense to anyone, but I mean, how do you teach someone "abstract thinking"? There are so many ways of thinking out there! Math is formulas! So ok, you might be able to teach someone ONE way of thinking about literature or something, yes. But math--math is formulas and numbers and equal signs! Everybody, just chill...</p>
<p><a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D">www.artofproblemsolving.com</a></p>
<p>sorry but ... math is abstract.... i'm lucky i didn't pay attention after 8th grade math or else i would be another formula spitting machine.... seriously though plug a few numbers see the pattern wallah.... you get ur answer.... i didn't really study for SAT math its all logic REASONING!!</p>
<p>"wallah" huh?</p>
<p>nm... sorry... this isn't one of the pattern sequence ones... i didn't read the problem....</p>
<p>but still you are just adding 5 100 times correct... so as stated above it you can either use the formula but IF you didn't know it... you could probably just think it through.... like 500+-3 (101st term is 1st term + next 100 terms each one is +5 that means -3+500)</p>
<p>learn how to use thread titles.</p>