Sumception 2

Algebra Level pending

For a certain quadratic sequence, the sum of the first 20 20 terms is S 20 = 7400 S_{20}= 7400 , and the sum of the first 20 20 sums T 20 = S 1 + S 2 + S 3 + + S 20 = 40460 T_{20} = S_1+ S_2 + S_3 + \cdots + S_{20} = 40460 . Given that the x x coefficient of the quadratic sequence is 7 -7 , find the third term of the sequence.


The answer is 19.

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1 solution

Chris Sapiano
May 18, 2019

Let us call the quadratic equation a x 2 7 x + b ax^2 - 7x + b

We know that x = 1 20 \displaystyle \sum_{x=1}^{20} ( a x 2 7 x + b ) = 7400 (ax^2 - 7x + b) = 7400

This can be evaluated to a x ( x + 1 ) ( 2 x + 1 ) 6 \frac {ax(x+1)(2x+1)}{6} - 7 x ( x + 1 ) 2 \frac {7x(x+1)}{2} + x b xb = 7400 = 7400

Substituting x x = = 20 20 , we get the equation 2870 a + 20 b = 8870 2870a +20b = 8870

We also know that x = 1 20 \displaystyle \sum_{x=1}^{20} ( a x ( x + 1 ) ( 2 x + 1 ) 6 \frac {ax(x+1)(2x+1)}{6} - 7 x ( x + 1 ) 2 \frac {7x(x+1)}{2} + x b xb ) = 40460 40460

This can be evaluated to ( a x 2 ( x + 1 ) 2 12 + a x ( x + 1 ) ( 2 x + 1 ) 12 + a x ( x + 1 ) 12 ) (\frac {ax^2 (x+1)^2}{12}\ + \frac {ax(x+1)(2x+1)}{12} + \frac {ax(x+1)}{12}) - ( 7 x ( x + 1 ) ( 2 x + 1 ) 12 \frac {7x(x+1)(2x+1)}{12} + 7 x ( x + 1 ) 4 \frac {7x(x+1)}{4} ) + b x ( x + 1 ) 2 \frac {bx(x+1)}{2} = 40460 = 40460

Substituting x = 20 x = 20 , we get the equation 16170 a + 210 c 16170a+210c = 51240 51240

Solving the two equations simultaneously we can solve a = 3 a = 3 and b = 13 b = 13

Therefore the original equation is 3 x 2 7 x + 13 3x^2 - 7x + 13 and the third term is 19 \boxed{19}

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