# pattern

• February 14th 2009, 10:10 PM
franckherve1
pattern
i am stuck on an exercise!!!i can't find the pattern within

16,1,20,20,5,18,.......
(Hi)
• February 15th 2009, 02:53 AM
HallsofIvy
What reason do you have to think there IS a pattern?
• February 15th 2009, 08:02 AM
franckherve1
What reason do you have to think there IS a pattern?
because they said so and they asked me to find the following number!!!
• February 15th 2009, 08:15 AM
Plato
Quote:

Originally Posted by franckherve1
because they said so and they asked me to find the following number!!!

Here is a news flash for them:
The largest collection of integer sequences available says that no such sequence is known to exist.
Check it out at: The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences
• February 15th 2009, 08:27 AM
TheMasterMind
Quote:

Originally Posted by franckherve1
i am stuck on an exercise!!!i can't find the pattern within

16,1,20,20,5,18,.......
(Hi)

Look at the common difference for if it was a geometric or arithmetic sequence, or even a recursive formula there would have to be a distinguishable pattern

just look at the differences:

$\frac{1}{16}=0.0625$

$\frac{20}{1}=1$

$\frac{20}{20}=1$

$\frac{5}{20}=0.25$

$\frac{18}{5}=3.6$

As you can see there is no common difference, and no possible way for it to be an arithmetic or geometric progression.There is also no way to make a recursive formula for the sequence.