It is a formula, used in sequences, in which the value of the nth term is described in relation to one or more of the earlier terms.
A classic example is the Fibonacci sequence:
u(1) = 1
u(2) = 1
u(n) = u(n-1) + u(n-2) for n = 3, 4, 5, ...
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what is the recursive formula for this geometric sequence?
It is often possible to find an explicit formula that gives the same answer as a given recursive formula - and vice versa. I don't think you can always find an explicit formula that gives the same answer.
That sounds like the definition for Recursive Formula.
A recursive definition is any definition that uses the thing to be defined as part of the definition. A recursive formula, or function, is a related formula or function. A recursive function uses the function itself in the definition. For example: The factorial function, written n!, is defined as the product of all the numbers, from 1 to the number (in this case "n"). For example, the factorial of 4, written 4!, is equal to 1 x 2 x 3 x 4. This can also be defined as follows: 0! = 1 For any "n" > 0, n! = n x (n-1)! For example, according to this definition, the factorial of 4 is the same as 4 times the factorial of 3. Try it out - apply the recursive formula, until you get to the base case. Note that a base case is necessary; otherwise, the recursion would never end.
Trigonometry is a whole branch of mathematics and does not comprise only one formula!