Name: ________________________ Date:________________

Class Period:_____________

1.4 Help Scott

Rate of Growth of Quadratic Equations

For the last couple of class periods, weve been exploring arithmetic, geometric, and
quadratic sequences. In the previous task, we were asked to help our friend Scott find the
total number of push-ups he would do in the month of March for the Macho March
promotion. Through exploration, we were able to find recursive and explicit functions to
represent our work. After discussing and presenting student work in class, we found a
variety of ways in which we can solve the task.
I dont
understand.
Now that youve found a way to calculate Scotts push- Help!!
ups, he wants to know how you did it. You explain to him
that youve found two equations: recursive and explicit.
He understands how you solved the recursive equation,
() = ( 1) + (3 + 2( 1)), but he doesnt
understand what it means.

1. Can you explain to Scott what each of the terms in

the recursive formula mean? Use diagrams,
definitions, equations, tables, and whatever you feel necessary to help Scott
understand.

2. Now that Scott understands what the recursive formula means, he wants to know
what the importance of a recursive formula is. Why is it helpful to write a recursive
formula? Explain your answer to Scott through diagrams, words, tables and
whatever you feel necessary to help Scott know why.
Name: ________________________ Date:________________
Class Period:_____________
Next, you show Scott the explicit formula you found: () = ( + 2) = 2 + 2. You
explain to him how you found your explicit formula by showing your work from the last
task. Again, Scott understands how you found the formula, but he doesnt know what it
means.
1. Can you explain to Scott what each of the terms in your explicit function mean? Use
diagrams, definitions, equations, tables, and whatever you feel necessary to help
Scott understand.

2. Again, Scott asks, What is the importance of the explicit formula? Why is it helpful
to write an explicit function? Explain your answer to Scott.

3. Scott asks, Why is it helpful to have both recursive and explicit functions? And, how
do the two equations relate?
a. Explain to Scott why both functions are important.
Name: ________________________ Date:________________
Class Period:_____________
b. Explain how your recursive and explicit functions relate by using the
following diagrams (Figure 1 and Figure 2). Can you see the recursive
function in your explicit diagram?

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
Figure 1

Figure 2

(3 + 2( 1))

3=n