I got it out of a newspaper years ago and finally managed to work out a solution (and even wrote a little program in Commodore basic to put it on the screen)
I'm not being clever,but I think that my solution is a bit complicated for a "Free newspaper puzzle"
Have you got any ideas?
Am I missing something obvious?
Thanks
2007-04-25 05:41:37 · 8 answers · asked by Vincent A 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
HI WHITJAY yes you're RIGHT
Don't tell anyone yet.
If you did it the same way as I did,then I think it's a bit complicated for a Small-town free newspaper.
That's why I thought I'd missed the obvious!
2007-04-25 06:06:49 · update #1
HI WHITJAY
SORRY! SORRY !SORRY
you're WRONG
my fault sorry again!
2007-04-25 06:23:49 · update #2
Hi there from Vincent.Thanks for all your answers.
The squares with +1,-1,+1
was the only one that I could figure out
But I wondered whether it was a proper series if the operator had to(sort of) physically keep adding and taking away 1
I did solve it with nifty little computer prog on my C64
will show you later.
Thanks again for your interest!
2007-04-25 08:35:00 · update #3
Hi there!
The way I it did on my C64 was to start a simple counting prog :A=A+1
then to add =(-1)^(A+1)
which ensured that you got an alternating -1,+1,-1 as the signs changed from plus to minus.
Thanks for all your help. But I still think that it's quite a difficult thing to have in a "give away news-sheet"!
2007-04-26 02:22:08 · update #4
Another small thing:
on my C64 after a bit it started printing small decimals after some of the integers.Whether this is a previously unknown Bug in the 64 I don't know.
2007-04-26 02:26:23 · update #5
Hi Fred again!!
I really must lay off this stuff!!!
What I meant was A^2 + (-1)^(A+1)
SORRY!
2007-04-26 08:36:46 · update #6
2,,,3,,,10,,,15,,,26,,,35 compare this with the square numbers
1,,,4,,,,9,,,,16,,,25,,,36 and these are either +1 or -1 different
+1,-1,+1,,,-1,,,,+1,,,-1
the next square number is 49 and you need to +1 so the answer is 50
2007-04-25 08:20:15 · answer #1 · answered by fred 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sequence of numbers (followed by the break down of my math) should be:
2 3 10 15 26 35 50 63
+1 +7 +5 +11 +9 +15 +13
+6 -2 +6 -2 +6 -2
-4 +4 -4 +4 -4
Etc.!
2007-04-25 05:50:54 · answer #2 · answered by GallopingGrasshoppers 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
2, 3, 10, 15, 26, 35, ?
the numbers can be written as:-
1^2 + 1, 2^2 - 1, 3^2 + 1, 4^2 - 1, 5^2 + 1, 6^2 - 1, 7^2 + 1, ....
Hence the next number is 49 + 1 = 50.
2007-04-25 06:00:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3-2 = 1
15-10 = 5 which is 1+4
35-26 = 9 which is 5+4
also 2+8 = 10 and 10+16 (OR 8X2)=26
so the next sequence is
50, 63
2007-04-25 05:51:30 · answer #4 · answered by Truth is elusive 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it goes like this-- 1 square+1=2;2 square-1=3;
3 square+1=10;4 square-1=15;
5 square+1=26;6 square-1=35;
therefore 7 square+1=50;
2007-04-25 06:00:33 · answer #5 · answered by soumya y 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
is the next answer 49? let me know if it is because i dont want to put an explanation when im not even right and look like a da.....oh man i was one number off
2007-04-25 05:50:05 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
is that the lottery numbers for today
2007-04-25 05:54:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm sorry i'm not good at maths i dont know.
2007-04-25 05:44:34 · answer #8 · answered by davian 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋