If (a_1=4) and (a_{n+1}=a_n+2n+1), what is the value of (a_7)?

Correct answer: 52

Substituting n=1,2,3,4,5,6 successively in the recurrence gives a_2=7, a_3=12, a_4=19, a_5=28, a_6=39, and a_7=52. Hence, the correct answer is 52. A value such as 50 can result from adding an incorrect increment instead of 2n+1 at one step. Exam tip: for each new term, use the index of the preceding term as n.