Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Figure out what comes next in this number pattern:

(4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) (31 13 12 14)

I will post the answer after a few people try it out and give their guesses.

Good Luck!

By Serene (Serene) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 07:25 pm: Edit

<edited out>

By Serene (Serene) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 07:28 pm: Edit

(23 41 12 14)

By Kelly216 (Kelly216) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 07:36 pm: Edit

Wow, that was fast! Good job Serene

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 08:42 pm: Edit

Nice variant on 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, 13112221

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 08:54 pm: Edit

Only bad thing is that the first one should have been

(4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) (11 13 12 21 14)

and not

(4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) (31 13 12 14)

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 09:05 pm: Edit

No, because they are not counting them in groups, they are counting all of the number at a time.

By Tootall (Tootall) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:06 pm: Edit

nice problem, where did you get it?

By Goirulz (Goirulz) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:25 pm: Edit

I don't quite understand the pattern in the math puzzle/problem. Could Serene or someone else who solved the probelm explain it to me?

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:26 pm: Edit

Hint: say it.

By Billiam2 (Billiam2) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:35 pm: Edit

i dont know where the first one is from, but the 2nd one i saw in Art of Craft of Problem Solving.

I thought most of NJ was out of power fairy?

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:40 pm: Edit

Hehe we are in a good area. Art and craft of problem solving! I have that book too (it sucks, no solutions).

By Billiam2 (Billiam2) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 10:49 pm: Edit

there actually is a solutions manual, but i think you have to pretend to be a teacher or something to get it, cause some people use it to teach problem solving courses. I dont have the manual though. But besides that its good.

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 11:00 pm: Edit

Lol I was pretty angry at that book; there was a Russia 1995 question: the book worded it find all solutions to cos(cos(cos(cos(x))))=sin(sin(sin(sin(x)))) I think, and in fact, you were supposed to prove that no real solutions exist.

By Kelly216 (Kelly216) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 11:20 pm: Edit

---

Quote:

I don't quite understand the pattern in the math puzzle/problem. Could Serene or someone else who solved the probelm explain it to me?

---

By Billiam2 (Billiam2) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 11:38 pm: Edit

sounds like a strange game...

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 03:43 am: Edit

Fairy says No, because they are not counting them in groups, they are counting all of the number at a time.

I still maintain what I said. You cannot jump numbers to add them up, you can only count the ones you see in the progression.

Only bad thing is that the first one should have been

(4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) (11 13 12 21 14)
and not
(4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) .... the last part is not consistent with the puzzle =>(31 13 12 14)

Fairy look at the one you posted also

Nice variant on 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, 13112221
Why is it not 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, 133122?

Oh well, it was a silly puzzle to begin with

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 08:54 am: Edit

Hehe look at Serene's answer though. (23 41 12 14). And also (4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) is consistent in both counting methods.

By Serene (Serene) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 12:19 pm: Edit

xiggi: and that's why fairy called it a variant, since it's not completely the same =P

---

Quote:

Why is it not 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211, 133122?

---

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 01:01 pm: Edit

Not that it matters that much to me, but I still consider that the last member from the problem posted by Kelly was inconsistent with the previous members. The problem -which is a classic problem- calls for someone to read the numbers from left to right as he SEES them occuring and write the order of the same. You cannot jump around and add the occurences of a certain number without losing the integrity of the exercise.

(13 21 14) => from left to right, you see ONE 1, ONE 3, ONE 2, TWO 1 (in a row) and finally ONE 4. The only logical answer that has 100% integrity is (11 13 12 21 14).

The puzzle by Fairywind simply reinforced the correct approach to that problem. As far as I am concerned, I put Kelly's puzzle in the same league as 2 of the 5 puzzles that Zerg Vvins had posted. Once a problem is misunderstood and the problem statement repeated incorrectly, it becomes nothing more than a bastardized mumbo-jumbo of numbers or letters that loses all value, especially on an intellectual level.

I guess that my conservative values are -once more- permeating through my thin skin.

By the way, it is my birthday today.

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 01:05 pm: Edit

Conservatism has its merits..... outside mathematics... *cough* *cough*

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 01:05 pm: Edit

HAPPY BIRTHDAY XIGGI!

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 01:08 pm: Edit

Hehe look at Serene's answer though. (23 41 12 14). And also (4) (14) (11 14) (31 14) (13 21 14) is consistent in both counting methods.

Serene's answer was consistent with the last member and her answer was indeed correct, since she followed the logic of the puzzle. The analogy is + + + + + - - is still positive.

I am sure that you guys UNDERSTAND what I am saying

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 01:12 pm: Edit

Conservatism in sciences is based on integrity and consistency. I like to believe that mathematics would be served well to respect those two qualities.

By Fairyofwind (Fairyofwind) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 02:34 pm: Edit

Actually, +- +- +- +- +- - - Xiggi you champion +- +- +- +- +- + + =)

By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 02:35 pm: Edit

The analogy is + + + + + - - is still positive.

LOL, I forgot a + sign