Arithmetic, geometric or neither? Find the next terms with a recursive rule
Grade 9 Math Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.
Milo's practice minutes are arithmetic over 4 days: 8, ?, ?, 26. What is the second term?
Pia's crayon box count is arithmetic over 4 weeks: 50, ?, ?, 14. What is the second term?
Ren's flower count is geometric: 4, ?, 100. Every term is positive. What is the missing term?
Zee's list is 4, 10, 16, 22. Which recursive rule makes this list?
- a(1) = 4, a(n) = a(n − 1) + 6
- a(1) = 6, a(n) = a(n − 1) + 4
- a(n) = a(n − 1) + 6, with no a(1)
Bo's list is 40, 33, 26, 19. Which recursive rule makes this list?
- a(1) = 40, a(n) = a(n − 1) − 7
- a(1) = 40, a(n) = a(n − 1) + 7
- a(n) = a(n − 1) − 7, with no a(1)
Esme's list is 5, 20, 80, 320. Which recursive rule makes this list?
- a(1) = 5, a(n) = 1/4 · a(n − 1)
- a(1) = 5, a(n) = 4 · a(n − 1)
- a(1) = 4, a(n) = 5 · a(n − 1)
Jun's list is 64, 16, 4, 1. Which recursive rule makes this list?
- a(1) = 64, a(n) = 4 · a(n − 1)
- a(1) = 64, a(n) = a(n − 1) − 48
- a(1) = 64, a(n) = 1/4 · a(n − 1)
Kira's list is 90, 75, 60, 45. Which recursive rule makes this list?
- a(1) = 15, a(n) = a(n − 1) − 90
- a(1) = 90, a(n) = a(n − 1) + 15
- a(1) = 90, a(n) = a(n − 1) − 15
Luz's rocket game doubles the score and then takes 1 away each round. The rule is a(1) = 3, a(n) = 2 · a(n − 1) − 1. What is a(4)?
Noah writes a number trick on paper at math club. The rule is a(1) = 1, a(n) = 2 · a(n − 1) + 4. What is a(5)?