document.write( "Question 1151346: use inductive reasoning to predict the most probable next number in the list 7,9,5,7,3,5,1,3,-1,? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #773081 by greenestamps(13200) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "7+2=9; 9-4=5
\n" ); document.write( "5+2=7; 7-4=3
\n" ); document.write( "3+2=5; 5-4=1
\n" ); document.write( "1+2=3; 3-4=-1

\n" ); document.write( "The apparent pattern is \"add 2, subtract 4, repeat\". So the most probable next number in the sequence is

\n" ); document.write( "-1+2=1

\n" ); document.write( "Alternatively, separate the given sequence into two spliced sequences:

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document.write( "7   5   3   1  -1\r\n" );
document.write( "  9   7   5   3   x

\n" ); document.write( "In each sub-sequence, the pattern is to repeatedly subtract 2. That means the next number (in the second sub-sequence) is 1.

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