SOLUTION: What is the missing term in the series 1,6,15,28,40, ?

Question 1190184: What is the missing term in the series 1,6,15,28,40, ?

Found 2 solutions by greenestamps, math_tutor2020:
Answer by greenestamps(13200) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

This problem, like any other similar problem, is no more than a guessing game; ANY next number makes a valid sequence.

There is no way to know the "correct" answer, without asking the author of the problem what the answer is.

If you are so inclined, take as much time as you want trying to find a logical pattern in the given numbers that will allow you to predict the next number -- but know that any answer you come up with might not be "right".

Answer by math_tutor2020(3817) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

To add to the answer @greenestamps provided, consider the example sequence
2,4,...

One guess at the next term could be 6
2,4,6,...
and it appears that we're listing the multiples of 2 (i.e. add 2 to each term to get the next)

Or another guess could be the next term is instead 8
2,4,8,...
Showing what appears to be powers of 2 (i.e. multiply each term by 2 to get the next)

Unfortunately there is ambiguity so there's no way to tell for sure.
In fact, the next number could be anything if the rules aren't defined well enough.
You'll have to ask your teacher for further clarification.

This is why "find the next term" type of problems are a bit of a pain.
Especially when your teacher simply states the list of numbers without any further worded instruction.

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