# polynomial in recurrence relation using matrrix exponential [closed]

I have my recurrence relation as f(n) = a*f(n-1) + b*f(n-2) + n*n how to solve that relation using matrix exponential

I have tried like

| f(n)   |   | a b 1 | ^ (n-1)       |  f(1) |
| f(n-1) | = | 1 0 0 |           *   |  f(0) |
| f(n-2) |   | 1 0 0 |               |  n*n  |


but it fails due to base matrix contains n*n in the last row how could I solve this using matrix exponential.

## closed as unclear what you're asking by Namaste, Mostafa Ayaz, Shailesh, Brian Borchers, user223391 Jul 29 '18 at 22:01

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• I see no reason for matrix exponential to intervene here unless your instructor has said that there is a solution with this tool... – Jean Marie Jul 27 '18 at 15:44

You are thinking that when you have a recurrence $f_n = af_{n-1}+bf_{n-2}$, then it defines a matrix recurrence $\def\f{{\bf f}}\f_n=A\f_{n-1}$ whose solution is $\f_n=A^{n-1}\f_1$. Here, $$\f_n=\begin{bmatrix}f_n\\f_{n-1}\end{bmatrix},\qquad A=\begin{bmatrix}a & b\\1 & 0\end{bmatrix}$$ Unfortunately, things do not work out so cleanly in your problem. Let $\def\b{{\bf b}}\b = \begin{bmatrix}1\\0\end{bmatrix},$ the recurrence is now $$\f_n = A\f_{n-1} +n^2\b$$ Instead, the solution is now $$\f_n = A^{n-1}\f_1 + A^{n-2}\b 2^2 + A^{n-3}\b 3^2 + \dots + A\b({n-1})^2 +\b n^2$$ Noting that $A$ is invertible, we can write this as $$\f_n = A^{n-1}\f_1 + A^{n}\left(\sum_{k=2}^n k^2A^{-k}\right)\b$$ There does exist a closed form for $\sum_{k=2}^n k^2A^{-k}$, but it is messy. In general, the closed form for $$\sum_{k=2}^n k^2x^k$$ can be bound by starting with the equation $x^2 + x^3 + \dots + x^n=\frac{x^2-x^{n+1}}{1-x}$, the differentiating both sides, then multiplying by $x$, then differentiating again, then multiplying by $x$ again. You can then substitute $x=A^{-1}$ into the resulting formula.
However, I think this method will only work when $A$ does not have $1$ as an eigenvalue. More subtle methods would be required in the case.
There is a different way to approach the problem. Take the four equations \begin{align} f_n &= af_{n-1} + bf_{n-2} + n^2\tag{a}\\ f_{n-1} &= af_{n-2} + bf_{n-3} + (n-1)^2\tag{b}\\ f_{n-2} &= af_{n-3} + bf_{n-4} + (n-2)^2\tag{c}\\ f_{n-3} &= af_{n-4} + bf_{n-5} + (n-3)^2\tag{d}\\ \end{align} and consider the equation $(a)-3(b)+3(c)-(d)$. You will find that this new equation is a recurrence for $f_n$ in terms of $f_{n-1},f_{n-2},\dots,f_{n-5}$, where there is no longer an $n^2$. You can then solve this new recurrence with a matrix exponential.