# Complete this pattern **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995 "2003-02-01T00:06:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/1 "2003-02-01T00:06:03Z")
While we’re at it… complete this pattern 4, 5, 35, 56, 83, ? It’s kinda culture-specific but not really. Think _laterally_. I spent 4 hours on this. Was Royally pissed when I figured it out. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/2 "2003-02-01T00:12:09Z")
Next number is 84. The pattern is: Add 1, Add 3 x 10, Add 3 X 7, add 3 X 9, add 1, add 4 x 10, add 4 X 7, add 4 X 9, add 1, add 5 x 10, add 5 x 7, add 5 X 9… As I mentioned in the other thread, there there is a theorem in number theory that, given any sequence of real numbers x[sub]1[/sub], x[sub]2[/sub], x[sub]3[/sub], … x[sub]n[/sub], and any real number y, you can find a formula so that x[sub]n+1[/sub] = y. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/3 "2003-02-01T00:15:13Z")
Can somebody explain the ‘culture-specific’ bit? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/4 "2003-02-01T00:15:44Z")
Right, but I think in this case we’re dealing with a bit of trivia, not mathematics. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/5 "2003-02-01T00:16:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*Next number is 84. > The pattern is: > Add 1, Add 3 x 10, Add 3 X 7, add 3 X 9, add 1, add 4 x 10, add 4 X 7, add 4 X 9, add 1, add 5 x 10, add 5 x 7, add 5 X 9… > \*\* Whatever. Keep at it. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/6 "2003-02-01T00:20:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*Right, but I think in this case we’re dealing with a bit of trivia, not mathematics. 🙂 \*\* How I wish that was mentioned when I was given the puzzle. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/7 "2003-02-01T00:24:42Z")
1. The solution is _elementary_. Y’all need to be busy bees, about it though- a calculator won’t help. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/8 "2003-02-01T00:27:27Z")
Googled it. Man, that’s _really_ obscure. How many people know the periodic table off the top of their heads? ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/9 "2003-02-01T00:34:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jr8 \* > \*\*Googled it. Man, that’s _really_ obscure. How many people know the periodic table off the top of their heads? \*\* And if you think about it. Not really. What group of numbers not mathematically related are independent of regional history or culture. One possible answer is last two digits of years. The one used here is periodic table. ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/10 "2003-02-01T01:15:08Z")
Complete this pattern\_\_\_\_\_ Please. Complete this pattern **please**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/11 "2003-02-01T01:26:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyan9 \* > What group of numbers not mathematically related are independent of regional history or culture. One possible answer is last two digits of years. The one used here is periodic table. It’s not independent of language, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-this-pattern/151995/12 "2003-02-01T02:01:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*It’s not independent of language, though. 🙂 \*\* I thought so too… But I searched through [Google.fr](http://Google.fr) and .de and the pages en francais und deutsch, both show names the same as in English. I’m guessing since the names are latinesque and the periodic table is universal/non-cultural, no regional scientific community has sought to have different names. I’m not completely sure about this.