# My Favorite One-Liners: Part 28

In this series, I’m compiling some of the quips and one-liners that I’ll use with my students to hopefully make my lessons more memorable for them. Today’s quip is one that I’ll use when simple techniques get used in a complicated way.

Consider the solution of the linear recurrence relation

$Q_n = Q_{n-1} + 2 Q_{n-2}$,

where $F_0 = 1$ and $F_1 = 1$. With no modesty, I call this one the Quintanilla sequence when I teach my students — the forgotten little brother of the Fibonacci sequence.

To find the solution of this linear recurrence relation, the standard technique — which is a pretty long procedure — is to first solve the characteristic equation, from $Q_n - Q_{n-1} - 2 Q_{n-2} = 0$, we obtain the characteristic equation

$r^2 - r - 2 = 0$

This can be solved by any standard technique at a student’s disposal. If necessary, the quadratic equation can be used. However, for this one, the left-hand side simply factors:

$(r-2)(r+1) = 0$

$r=2 \qquad \hbox{or} \qquad r = -1$

(Indeed, I “developed” the Quintanilla equation on purpose, for pedagogical reasons, because its characteristic equation has two fairly simple roots — unlike the characteristic equation for the Fibonacci sequence.)

From these two roots, we can write down the general solution for the linear recurrence relation:

$Q_n = \alpha_1 \times 2^n + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^n$,

where $\alpha_1$ and $\alpha_2$ are constants to be determined. To find these constants, we plug in $n =0$:

$Q_0 = \alpha_1 \times 2^0 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^0$.

To find these constants, we plug in $n =0$:

$Q_0 = \alpha_1 \times 2^0 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^0$.

We then plug in $n =1$:

$Q_1 = \alpha_1 \times 2^1 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^1$.

Using the initial conditions gives

$1 = \alpha_1 + \alpha_2$

$1 = 2 \alpha_1 - \alpha_2$

This is a system of two equations in two unknowns, which can then be solved using any standard technique at the student’s disposal. Students should quickly find that $\alpha_1 = 2/3$ and $\alpha_2 = 1/3$, so that

$Q_n = \displaystyle \frac{2}{3} \times 2^n + \frac{1}{3} \times (-1)^n = \frac{2^{n+1} + (-1)^n}{3}$,

Although this is a long procedure, the key steps are actually first taught in Algebra I: solving a quadratic equation and solving a system of two linear equations in two unknowns. So here’s my one-liner to describe this procedure:

This is just an algebra problem on steroids.

Yes, it’s only high school algebra, but used in a creative way that isn’t ordinarily taught when students first learn algebra.

I’ll use this “on steroids” line in any class when a simple technique is used in an unusual — and usually laborious — way to solve a new problem at the post-secondary level.
The text passage describes a method for solving a linear recurrence relation, specifically the "Quintanilla sequence," and includes a step-by-step solution process that involves solving a characteristic equation and a system of linear equations.
no_question

the passage does not contain a mathematical question that requires an answer; instead, it provides a detailed explanation of a method to solve a specific type of problem.
Given a text passage, determine:
    1. If it contains a mathematical question (including word problems or calculations)
    2. If an answer to that mathematical question is provided in the text

First, describe the content structure you found in 1-2 sentences.

Then provide your analysis in the following format:
TYPE: <one of the following values>
- NO_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION_WITH_ANSWER
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS
system
# My Favorite One-Liners: Part 28

In this series, I’m compiling some of the quips and one-liners that I’ll use with my students to hopefully make my lessons more memorable for them. Today’s quip is one that I’ll use when simple techniques get used in a complicated way.

Consider the solution of the linear recurrence relation

$Q_n = Q_{n-1} + 2 Q_{n-2}$,

where $F_0 = 1$ and $F_1 = 1$. With no modesty, I call this one the Quintanilla sequence when I teach my students — the forgotten little brother of the Fibonacci sequence.

To find the solution of this linear recurrence relation, the standard technique — which is a pretty long procedure — is to first solve the characteristic equation, from $Q_n - Q_{n-1} - 2 Q_{n-2} = 0$, we obtain the characteristic equation

$r^2 - r - 2 = 0$

This can be solved by any standard technique at a student’s disposal. If necessary, the quadratic equation can be used. However, for this one, the left-hand side simply factors:

$(r-2)(r+1) = 0$

$r=2 \qquad \hbox{or} \qquad r = -1$

(Indeed, I “developed” the Quintanilla equation on purpose, for pedagogical reasons, because its characteristic equation has two fairly simple roots — unlike the characteristic equation for the Fibonacci sequence.)

From these two roots, we can write down the general solution for the linear recurrence relation:

$Q_n = \alpha_1 \times 2^n + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^n$,

where $\alpha_1$ and $\alpha_2$ are constants to be determined. To find these constants, we plug in $n =0$:

$Q_0 = \alpha_1 \times 2^0 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^0$.

To find these constants, we plug in $n =0$:

$Q_0 = \alpha_1 \times 2^0 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^0$.

We then plug in $n =1$:

$Q_1 = \alpha_1 \times 2^1 + \alpha_2 \times (-1)^1$.

Using the initial conditions gives

$1 = \alpha_1 + \alpha_2$

$1 = 2 \alpha_1 - \alpha_2$

This is a system of two equations in two unknowns, which can then be solved using any standard technique at the student’s disposal. Students should quickly find that $\alpha_1 = 2/3$ and $\alpha_2 = 1/3$, so that

$Q_n = \displaystyle \frac{2}{3} \times 2^n + \frac{1}{3} \times (-1)^n = \frac{2^{n+1} + (-1)^n}{3}$,

Although this is a long procedure, the key steps are actually first taught in Algebra I: solving a quadratic equation and solving a system of two linear equations in two unknowns. So here’s my one-liner to describe this procedure:

This is just an algebra problem on steroids.

Yes, it’s only high school algebra, but used in a creative way that isn’t ordinarily taught when students first learn algebra.

I’ll use this “on steroids” line in any class when a simple technique is used in an unusual — and usually laborious — way to solve a new problem at the post-secondary level.
user
The text passage describes a method for solving a linear recurrence relation, specifically the "Quintanilla sequence," and includes a step-by-step solution process that involves solving a characteristic equation and a system of linear equations.

TYPE: NO_QUESTION

The passage does not contain a mathematical question that requires an answer; instead, it provides a detailed explanation of a method to solve a specific type of problem.