document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1158317>Question 1158317</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Can you help me understand how to start/solve this number series problem?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "(10 * 4/2), (12/4 * 2), (14 * 4/2), _________\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Thanks in advance. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #781239 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13206)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><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=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=781239\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1) It is not completely clear what the sequence is; and<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "(2) in a problem like this, I don't know what \"solve\" means.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "I will treat the terms in the sequence simply as strings of characters, without trying to guess the meaning.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The first item in each term is an integer; they start at 10 and increase by 2 each time.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The remaining items in each term are the numbers 4 and 2, and the operators * and /.  The 4 and 2 are always in that order; the order of the two operators switches from one term to the next.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "If \"solve\" just means finding the next term in the sequence, my guess is that the new number is 16; and since the last term shown has * before /, the next term will have / before *.  And the 4 and 2 will be in the same order as always.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Next term: (16 / 4*2)<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );