document.write( "Question 959875: What number comes next in the following number sequence?
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document.write( "3,4,6,15,9,48,12.... \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #586721 by Edwin McCravy(20056)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \r\n" ); document.write( "3,4,6,15,9,48,12....\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The odd numbered terms are just\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "3, 6, 9, 12,... which is easy, just the multiples of 3.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The even numbered term are\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( " 4, 15, 48\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "So it amounts to finding the next term of 4,15,48,...\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "You can easily find a quadratic polynomial that has those \r\n" ); document.write( "first three terms:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "11n^2-22n+15\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "11(1)^2-22(1)+15 = 11-22+15 = 4\r\n" ); document.write( "11(2)^2-22(2)+15 = 44-44+15 = 15\r\n" ); document.write( "11(3)^2-22(3)+15 = 99-66+15 = 48\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "So the next term is:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "11(4)^2-22(4)+15 = 176-88+15 = 103\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "So 103 is certainly a possible answer. But there are many other\r\n" ); document.write( "possibilities. \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Does your teacher know that there are an infinite number of different\r\n" ); document.write( "sequences that have all those given first seven terms? If so, how does \r\n" ); document.write( "your teacher expect you to pick out the very one he has in mind?\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Edwin\n" ); document.write( " |