The most tricky part is to understand the question (at least for me the formulation of is not obvious).
A quick explanation: is the number of trials (slot machine draws) that you have done when the -th unique pattern (図柄) first appears.
For example, when you draw for the first time, you definitely get a new pattern. The first pattern comes from one draw, so
Then you do another 3 draws and they are all the same as the 1-st pattern, while the 5-th draw you get a new pattern!
Then And similar procedures will tell you
Then we will notice that is exactly the number of your keeping drawing from the already got types of patterns, plus one which you draw one new pattern from the types.