In the series 7,10,8,11,9,12_____, what number should come next?
Spoilers please. Explanations get extra credit.
Why the simple puzzles?Quote: billryanAnd why?
In the series 7,10,8,11,9,12_____, what number should come next?
Spoilers please. Explanations get extra credit.
I'm going to say any number between 0 and 36 because I live in Europe where roulette has only one zero past spins don't have any predictive qualities. $:o)
Edit: And OnceDear posted while I was typing.
....um....Quote: billryanWouldn't be the first time, but according to the answer given there the next number should be 17. Every Third number is a prime number.
Then wouldn't it be 13???
Please make sure the next one is valid.
A series is a mathematical operation.
So let's look at this series critically.
7 is a prime number, and the next prime number is 11, 3 steps later. Thus there is a subseries where every 3 steps is a prime number. But WHICH prime number?
The number after it has an interesting property of being a multiple of a number 2 less than the prime. On top of this the coefficient is changing. What is the pattern? Well, it's decreasing. 7–2 = 5 x 2 equals 10, 11–2 equals 9, x 1 equals 9.
After that, the next number is the multiple of 4 multiplied by the lowest prime divisor of the previous number.
Well, the next number only gives us a single case… the prime number that is equal to or greater than 3 higher than the previous number.
3 + 12 = 15, next prime is 17.
So if we follow this sequence we get:
7, 10, 8, 11, 9, 12, 17, 0, 0, 5, -3, 13, 17, -30, 8, 11…
What this teaches us is that an arbitrary sequence may appear to have an obvious pattern but there is no inherently correct next answer without access to a definition of that sequence.
Quote: billryanIn the series 7,10,8,11,9,12_____, what number should come next?
Spoilers please. Explanations get extra credit.
The first answer offered says:
Quote: OnceDearThe accepted answer is 10 or ANY OTHER NUMBER because the sequence has an unknown underlying pattern: One of many possible patterns....
The second answer offered says:
Quote: DocFor a short intro sequence like this one, there are probably numerous formulae that could be followed. One of the simplest is a pattern that.... This gives (following the reported sequence): 10
Then the OP responds:
Quote: billryan... the correct answer has yet to be given.
followed by his quoting his resource as:
Quote: billryan... the next number should be 17.
Then finally he quotes his resource again and concludes:
Quote: billryanWhat this teaches us is that an arbitrary sequence may appear to have an obvious pattern but there is no inherently correct next answer without access to a definition of that sequence.
So the first two responses indicate that there are many possible correct answers, with each of these responses happening to suggest the same possible answer in their explanations. The OP says that they are not correct, then later says, "there is no inherently correct next answer" while offering a different possible answer.
What's with this? Start a thread that basically asks, "Can you guess a number and explain why you chose it?" and then criticizes those who answer because they didn't guess the same number he was thinking about? C'mon now. What's the "explanation" for why "the next number should be 17" while "10" is not an equally correct answer among the many?
What a waste!
Quote: DocWhat a waste!
/thread
Quote: DocAn interesting series of posts. The OP begins with:
The first answer offered says:
The second answer offered says:Quote: DocFor a short intro sequence like this one, there are probably numerous formulae that could be followed. One of the simplest is a pattern that.... This gives (following the reported sequence): 10
Then the OP responds:
followed by his quoting his resource as:
Then finally he quotes his resource again and concludes:
So the first two responses indicate that there are many possible correct answers, with each of these responses happening to suggest the same possible answer in their explanations. The OP says that they are not correct, then later says, "there is no inherently correct next answer" while offering a different possible answer.
What's with this? Start a thread that basically asks, "Can you guess a number and explain why you chose it?" and then criticizes those who answer because they didn't guess the same number he was thinking about? C'mon now. What's the "explanation" for why "the next number should be 17" while "10" is not an equally correct answer among the many?
What a waste!
I took a question off of a website, and asked it here. After two people answered, I stated, factually, that according to the source of the question, the correct answer had not been given. When I read the question, my answer was ten. According to the site, that was wrong. Knowing there are many people here far better at math than I am, I posted it here to see if people would get the right answer. I didn't criticize anyone, for anything. I said that according to the website, the correct answer hadn't been given.
If you are going to quote me, please be honest and not selectively edit it.
Quote: billryanAccording to Quora, the correct answer has yet to be given.
This is criticism?
Troll much?Quote: MaxPenGood thing you're not in charge of administering test questions where the results are meaningful.
Political feuds run deep.
Quote: AxelWolfTroll much?
Political feuds run deep.
No just making an observation. As Doc finely pointed out this whole thread turned ludicrous 4 posts in.
Quote: billryanAnd why?
In the series 7,10,8,11,9,12_____, what number should come next?
Spoilers please. Explanations get extra credit.
Had it been anyone other than Bill or a few select others would you have made that observation? I think not.Quote: MaxPenNo just making an observation. As Doc finely pointed out this whole thread turned ludicrous 4 posts in.
Anyways, I was just giving you a hard time because it's fun. You guys can stalk each other all you want.
Even the explanation didn't make sense to me.
Even the explanation didn't make sense to me.
Quote: Wizard[soiler=My answer]10. Because it follows a 3 up/2 down pattern. [/spoiler]
Did you read the explanation why the given answer was 17? Did it make sense to you?