document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=384316>Question 384316</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Find the missing number:  5, 8, 6, 4, 4, 0, 8, ?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I tried 3n-1. I started with n=2,then n=3, but it failed at n=4.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I also tried the multiple of the difference of the numbers. the difference between 5&8 is 3, then multiply that by the difference between 8&6 which is 2; so (5-8)* (8-6)= 6. Then (8-6) * (6-4)=4, then (6-4) * (4-4)=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "That's where it failed.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I also tried 2n-1 starting with n=3, but that failed also.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I looked for a pattern in the difference between the numbers, like the triangular numbers or Fibonacci numbers but no luck.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I don't know what else to try. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #272087 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=richard1234><B>richard1234(7193)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=richard1234><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=richard1234><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=272087\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I think I found the recursion!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We have 5 - 8 = -3. Take the absolute value of the difference, multiply by 2 to obtain the next term.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "8 - 6 = 2, absolute value, multiply by 2 to get 4, etc.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In general, the sequence should be a_n = 2|a_(n-2) - a_(n-1)|. From this, the following term is 16. </SPAN>\n" );
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