SOLUTION: 444, 456, 471, ? 498, 519

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Question 1208795: 444, 456, 471, ? 498, 519
Found 3 solutions by ikleyn, greenestamps, math_tutor2020:
Answer by ikleyn(52787)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

The missing term can be any number.

For example,  1,  2,  -1,  67,  1234567890,  ,  ,  ,    or  .

In two words - any number.

This problem/question is not mathematical and has no any relation to Math.

It is about reading the thoughts in the head of the author.

For such problems, fortune-tellers suit better than mathematicians.

Find another site for such exercises.

At this site, we perform totally different job.


Have a nice day.

May clear light always illuminates your path.



Answer by greenestamps(13200)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Tutor @ikleyn is correct, in that the problem AS POSTED cannot be solved mathematically; ANY number inserted in the given sequence forms a valid sequence.

However, there is some useful mathematics to be practiced in solving the problem if we assume the given sequence is formed by a polynomial function.

We are given 5 points of a polynomial function: f(1)=444; f(2)=456; f(3)=471; f(5)=498; and f(6)=519. Our objective is to find the value of f(4).

n points can be fitted with a unique polynomial of degree (n-1). Since we have 5 points, we can fit them with a polynomial of degree 4.

The general polynomial of degree 4 is f(x) = ax^4+bx^3+cx^2+dx+e. I used the matrix capability of by TI-84 calculator to find that polynomial and evaluate it for x=4 to find the answer.

However, when the problem only asks to find the missing number, we don't need to find the function itself. We can use the method of finite differences.

Here is a preliminary look at the method of finite differences using a simple example.

Consider the quadratic polynomial function f(x)=3x^2-5x+2. That function has the values
f(1) = 0
f(2) = 4
f(3) = 14
f(4) = 30

We will use these four function values to show that the sequence is generated by a polynomial function of degree 2. (We could then continue with the process to determine the actual function; however that part of the process is not needed for the demonstration below of how to find the missing number in your problem.)

Here is what the method of finite differences looks like:

   0   4    14    30    < the given sequence
     4   10    16       < the "first differences"
       6     6          < the "second differences"

The constant second differences tell us that the sequence can be produced by a polynomial of degree 2.

(If you know basic differential calculus, this is because the second derivative of a quadratic polynomial is a constant. In fact, if you know that calculus, you know that the second derivative of a polynomial with leading term is ax^2 will be the constant 2a. In my simple example, the leading coefficient of the polynomial is 3, and the constant second difference is 2*3=6.)

In general, if a sequence is produced by a polynomial of degree n, then the row of n-th differences will be constant.

We are now ready to find the missing number in your problem, assuming the sequence is defined by a polynomial of degree 4, which means the 4th differences must be constant.

444 456 471 x 498 519 < the given sequence
12 15 x-471 498-x 21 < 1st differences
3 x-486 969-2x x-477 <2nd differences
x-489 1455-3x 3x-1446 <3rd differences
1944-4x 6x-2901 <4th differences
The row of 4th difference must be constant, so...





ANSWER: The missing number is 484.5

This result was confirmed with the matrix work I did on my TI-84 calculator.


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

As tutor greenestamps points out, the missing term could be 484.5
That's assuming the sequence follows a polynomial function.
That particular function is f(n) = 0.25n^4 - 3.25n^3 + 14.75n^2 - 13.25n + 445.5 where n is an integer that starts at n = 1
Plugging n = 1 gives the first term 444
n = 2 gives the second term 456
n = 3 gives the third term 471
etc


However, we could have a situation as discussed at this link
https://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/Sequences-and-series/Sequences-and-series.faq.question.1188392.html
Each term could be equal to the previous term plus the sum of the digits.
444+(4+4+4) = 456
456+(4+5+6) = 471
471+(4+7+1) = 483 (??)
483+(4+8+3) = 498
498+(4+9+8) = 519
I put question marks after the 483 because it's quite possible that another value could fit in that slot.
There are probably many other ways to generate the sequence given, and hence many values to replace the question mark in your given sequence.



Check out this similar problem
https://www.algebra.com/algebra/homework/Sequences-and-series/Sequences-and-series.faq.question.1195799.html
On that link I try to find the next few terms in the sequence 1,2,4,...
It turns out there are at least 3 different possible answers for that question. There may be infinitely many answers.
This is more evidence that vague questions like this are very flawed. There needs to be more context provided.

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