Continue this series - Page 2

koal · 2003-07-02, 14:52

:? ... and the numbers are not years of the last century, when a specific Nobel-price went to a specific country!

cheesehead · 2003-07-02, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by koal

:? ... and the numbers are not years of the last century, when a specific Nobel-price went to a specific country!

Not in '42.

xilman · 2003-07-02, 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reboot It

You are welcome to puzzle over this series. Despite the short excerpt shown, it is possible to work out the basis of the series from just these four numbers.

2
4
6
30

What comes next? How is the series constructed? Be warned - it may not be quite what you think!

If you know straightaway, please do not spoil it for others: just post the fact in the thread and either withhold the answer for a couple of days or send me a private message with your answer.

If there are no responses I may add some further numbers later. Enjoy!

In my opinion, from this point it should go 32, 34, 36, 40, 42, ... 2000, 2002, 2004, .... .

Am I right?

I'll not say why to a void spoiling it for you all.

Paul

Wiskonst · 2003-07-03, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reboot It

2
4
6
30

What comes next?

My solution
The next number (n5) = 60, next (n6) = 1836.

Maybeso · 2003-07-03, 21:16

I have two solutions, a cumulative function, and a rolling function.
cumulative:
2, 4, 6, 30, 540, 153900, 11884158000, 70617520170440100000, ...

rolling:
2, 4, 6, 30, 180, 15390, 220077000, 24778077252786000, 597958952759041523668250017500000, ...

I personally like koals solution: f(n+1) = f(n) + f(n-1)! 8)

Reboot It · 2003-07-04, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reboot It

The series cannot be proved, or even formulated, inductively.

Nice numbers Maybeso but not the right ones! As you will see from what I stated earlier that the series cannot be expressed in terms of a function related to previous terms in the series.

xilman · 2003-07-04, 14:38

It seems to me that the series can be extended in the other direction too. It's fairly obvious (to me, at least) that it is an even function, but does it contain the value 0?

I could make a reasonable argument for both cases.

Paul

Xyzzy · 2003-07-04, 17:54

I'm almost positive it doesn't include zero...

eepiccolo · 2003-07-07, 19:40

OK, is the next number -114? and then -68, then -86?

No those aren't just numbers I pulled out of my rear end, I had a method which I will reveal after I'm told whether I'm right or not. And yes, they are negative.

Edit: Never mind. I looked at the rest of the numbers in the series I developed, but 42 didn't show up. My method had to do with the shape and construction of the individual letters of the alphabet, assigning a value to each letter of the alphabet.

eepiccolo · 2003-07-08, 12:58

OK, I just cheated like Xyzzy, and I would like to suggest that the answer be revealed to all. I don't think that anyone is going to be able to determine it after all this time.

Orgasmic Troll · 2003-07-08, 15:36

Good lord, I just looked it up and I agree .. I can't even find anything about it on the Mathworld site, and google comes up with only 2 websites ..

edit: Okay, I will learn this lesson someday. Don't post until you scroll down and get all the information .. I got more than one response from the lookup, and I just happened to take the first one that had 42 in it .. I don't think Reboot It meant anything to do with Hyper-Cullen primes of the first species (and if so, sorry! My bad!) That said, I think it might be possible for someone to get it without looking it up, so unless no one is still working on it, I say don't give it away just yet

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2003-07-02, 14:52	#12
koal Nov 2002 Vienna, Austria 101001₂ Posts	:? ... and the numbers are not years of the last century, when a specific Nobel-price went to a specific country!

2003-07-03, 21:16	#16
Maybeso Aug 2002 Portland, OR USA 2×137 Posts	I have two solutions, a cumulative function, and a rolling function. cumulative: 2, 4, 6, 30, 540, 153900, 11884158000, 70617520170440100000, ... rolling: 2, 4, 6, 30, 180, 15390, 220077000, 24778077252786000, 597958952759041523668250017500000, ... I personally like koals solution: f(n+1) = f(n) + f(n-1)! 8)

2003-07-04, 14:38	#18
xilman Bamboozled! "𒉺𒌌𒇷𒆷𒀭" May 2003 Down not across 10,753 Posts	It seems to me that the series can be extended in the other direction too. It's fairly obvious (to me, at least) that it is an even function, but does it contain the value 0? I could make a reasonable argument for both cases. Paul

2003-07-04, 17:54	#19
Xyzzy "Mike" Aug 2002 2⁵·257 Posts	I'm almost positive it doesn't include zero...

2003-07-07, 19:40	#20
eepiccolo Dec 2002 Frederick County, MD 562₈ Posts	OK, is the next number -114? and then -68, then -86? No those aren't just numbers I pulled out of my rear end, I had a method which I will reveal after I'm told whether I'm right or not. And yes, they are negative. Edit: Never mind. I looked at the rest of the numbers in the series I developed, but 42 didn't show up. My method had to do with the shape and construction of the individual letters of the alphabet, assigning a value to each letter of the alphabet.

2003-07-08, 12:58	#21
eepiccolo Dec 2002 Frederick County, MD 101110010₂ Posts	OK, I just cheated like Xyzzy, and I would like to suggest that the answer be revealed to all. I don't think that anyone is going to be able to determine it after all this time.

2003-07-08, 15:36	#22
Orgasmic Troll Cranksta Rap Ayatollah Jul 2003 641 Posts	Good lord, I just looked it up and I agree .. I can't even find anything about it on the Mathworld site, and google comes up with only 2 websites .. edit: Okay, I will learn this lesson someday. Don't post until you scroll down and get all the information .. I got more than one response from the lookup, and I just happened to take the first one that had 42 in it .. I don't think Reboot It meant anything to do with Hyper-Cullen primes of the first species (and if so, sorry! My bad!) That said, I think it might be possible for someone to get it without looking it up, so unless no one is still working on it, I say don't give it away just yet