document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1164001>Question 1164001</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> what is the next three terms of 4,1,0,1,4,9<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #788287 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</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=788287\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANY problem like this -- where a sequence of numbers is given, you are asked to find the next number(s) in the sequence, and no further information is given -- is invalid.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "In this particular example, it APPEARS that the numbers are consecutive perfect squares:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-2)^2=4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(-1)^2=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0^2=0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1^2=1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2^2=4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3^2=9<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So it might LOOK AS IF the next three numbers should be<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4^2=16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5^2=25<BR>\n" );
document.write( "6^2=36<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "But there is NOTHING in the statement of the problem that tells us that is the pattern; in fact, ANY next three numbers will make a valid sequence.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So you can GUESS that the next three numbers in this example will be 16, 25, and 36....  But there is no way of knowing if that answer is \"right\".<br><BR>\n" );
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