# Math Help - Need some help with word pattern/sequence :(

1. ## Need some help with word pattern/sequence :(

Hi everyone,

First time poster here. Hopefully you guys can help me out, because even this basic problem is stumping me.

We're doing homework in my Math 105 class involving logic, patterns, and sequences. Here is the problem that is stumping me (some of the others were quite easy once you figured them out, but the problem is that the book doesn't give you any tips as to what the letters could stand for and such, very frustrating):

banana strawberry asparagus eggplant orange
y r g p ___

So I need to figure out how the letters are related and what the letter under orange will be. I thought it might be that the letter is one of the letters in the next word, however there is no P in Orange.

Hopefully someone can help.

Edit: Since apparently I can't space out the letters properly, y is associated with banana, r with strawberry, g with asparagus, and p with eggplant.

2. ## Re: Need some help with word pattern/sequence :(

I've got it. Think about the properties of the given fruits/veggies.

3. ## Re: Need some help with word pattern/sequence :(

Hello, Trip!

Welcome aboard!

$\begin{array}{ccccc} \text{banana} & \text{strawberry} & \text{asparagus} & \text{eggplant} & \text{orange } \\ y & r & g & p & \_\_ \end{array}$

So I need to figure out how the letters are related and what the letter under "orange" will be.

I tried all kinds of approaches.

I counted the number of letters in each food.
. . $6, 10, 9, 8, 6$

I noted that "y" is the 25th letter of the alphabet.
. . $y = 25,\;r = 18,\;g = 7,\;p = 6$

I even considered the foods to be the first word of a familiar two-word phrase:

. . . . . . $\begin{array}{cc}\text{banana} & \text{split} \\ \text{strawberry} & \text{shortcake} \\ \text{asparagus} & \text{almondine} \\ \text{eggplant} & \text{parmigian} \\ \text{orange} & \text{sherbet} \end{array}$

Then I saw it . . . *slap head*

These are the initials of the colors of the foods!

. . $\begin{array}{ccccc} \text{banana} & \text{strawberry} & \text{asparagus} & \text{eggplant} & \text{orange} \\ {\bf y}\text{ellow} & {\bf r}\text{ed} & {\bf g}\text{reen} & {\bf p}\text{urple} & {\bf o}\text{range} \end{array}$