You've spotted a pattern in a sequence: 5, 9, 13, 17... (+4 each time). But what if you needed the 100th term? You wouldn't count them all! Instead, you'd use a formula called the "nth term" that lets you find ANY term instantly. It's like having a mathematical shortcut for any position in the sequence.
Visual Guide
This introduction covers The Formula for Any Term within nth Term for GCSE Mathematics. Revise nth Term in Algebra for GCSE Mathematics with 11 exam-style questions and 4 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 1 of 8 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for nth Term
The nth term of a sequence is 3n + 2. What is the 5th term?
A student claims that 50 is a term in the sequence with nth term 3n + 1. Show whether this claim is correct.
Quick recall flashcards
What is the nth term?
A formula that allows you to find any term in a sequence by substituting the position number (n)
What does 'n' represent?
The position number in the sequence (1st term: n=1, 2nd term: n=2, etc.)