Let be a sequence with the sum of its first terms denoted as . It is known that , , .
Prove that the sequence is an arithmetic sequence.
Let , be the sum of the first terms of the sequence . Find .
Solution
### Solution:
#### Part (1): Proving the sequence is an arithmetic sequence
Given , and initial values , , we proceed as follows:
1. We start by expressing in terms of and :
This equation essentially gives us the difference between consecutive terms of the sequence in terms of the previous terms.
2. Since and , we can rewrite the equation as:
This gives us a recursive formula for the sequence.
3. To prove is an arithmetic sequence, we examine the difference between consecutive terms:
This shows that the difference between consecutive terms of is constant, hence it is an arithmetic sequence.
#### Part (2): Finding , the sum of the first terms of the sequence
1. From part (1), we know , leading to .
2. This recursive formula can be solved to find :
This gives us an explicit formula for in terms of .
3. Substituting into the given formula for :
This simplification reveals as a telescoping series.
4. The sum can then be found by summing the series:
This final step utilizes the telescoping nature of the series, where most terms cancel out, leaving only the first and the last.