Re: A script to determine the next number in a sequence

Anonymous Monk,
There is the integer sequence database which may help but you have to understand that this is an impossible problem. For a given number of integers in a sequence, there are an infinite number of "formulas" that could produce that sequence. Each may produce a different "next number". All you could hope to accomplish with a program is to find a formula that fits the data, you have no guarantees it is the right one.

My guess for the next number is 62.5, can you figure out why?

Cheers - L~R

Comment on Re: A script to determine the next number in a sequence

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Re^2: A script to determine the next number in a sequence by ambrus (Abbot) on May 10, 2007 at 18:00 UTC
My guess is 76, from polynomial inerpolation -- a lousy method for this but I like it. Sloane says it's either 100 or 65.	[reply]
Re^2: A script to determine the next number in a sequence by monarch (Priest) on May 10, 2007 at 15:41 UTC
I was unable to get 62.5. My only guess is `1 x(5/1) =5 x2 =10 x(5/2) = 25 x2 =50 x(5/3) =83.3` [download] In other words, a sequence of two stages: multiply by (5 divided by n++) multiply by 2	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: A script to determine the next number in a sequence by Limbic~Region (Chancellor) on May 10, 2007 at 16:01 UTC
monarch, The approach I used is that each term was being multiplied by some number. There were two patterns of multiples woven together. One pattern was constant - x 2. The other depends on the previous value (prev / 2). `1 x 5 = 5 # pattern 1, no prev value so start with 5 5 x 2 = 10 # pattern 2, constant 10 x 2.5 = 25 # pattern 1, prev value 5 / 2 25 x 2 = 50 # pattern 2, constant 50 x 1.25 = 62.5 # pattern 1, prev value 2.5 / 2` [download] Cheers - L~R	[reply] [d/l]
Re^4: A script to determine the next number in a sequence by monarch (Priest) on May 11, 2007 at 00:32 UTC
Nice observation! Just goes to show, there were definitely multiple answers to this question..	[reply]