# \# Sequence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767 "2004-03-17T02:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Biere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biere)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/21 "2004-03-17T22:09:41Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > The 5th differences are not constant, so if this is generated by a polynomial, its degree is at least 6. Had the same problem, I think (???), with question 25 on the Mensa workout page … [http://www.mensa.org/workout2.html](http://www.mensa.org/workout2.html) ---
**Author:** ![dinoboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dinoboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinoboy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/22 "2004-03-17T22:19:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Had the same problem, I think (???), with question 25 on the Mensa workout page … I don’t think so, it seems the patterm is simply adding pairs in that one (1+10=11, 3+9=12…) The answer should be 11, 5 (for a total of 16) Now, what did I win? 😃 As for the OP, I’m still working on it… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![RayMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@RayMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RayMan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/23 "2004-03-17T23:42:28Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > The 5th differences are not constant, so if this is generated by a polynomial, its degree is at least 6. Yeah. I fit a polynomial of degree 6 to this data set and came up with 193 as the next number in the sequence, as I have already posted before. Of course, there is no reason to believe that these numbers were generated by the absurd sixth degree polynomial with rational, non-integer coefficients I derived. Just some pointless math knowledge put to use. With simple little sequences like these that have no obvious pattern, one can come up with a justification for _any_ number to be the next in the sequence. ---
**Author:** ![DrDoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DrDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDoom)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/24 "2004-03-19T22:03:30Z")
> [@SwingWing](#): > > 4 … 15 … 10 … 9 … 16 … 12 … 13 … Next? Sum of the digits for 2 times n-1 plus 7 … e.g. 2 x 10 = 20 = 2 + 0 = 2 + 7 = 9 … Answer is 15. Sum of digits sequences are utilized on Mensa III tests … ---
**Author:** ![sibyl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@sibyl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sibyl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/25 "2004-03-20T00:16:11Z")
I got 15 right off the bat. 4 … 15 … 10 … 9 … 16 … 12 … 13 … Next? 4+15 = 19 10+9 = 19 16+12 = 28 13+x = 28 x = 15 _shrugs_ Wouldn’t know how to get the one after 15 now though, so I guess there is a better way. ---
**Author:** ![DrDoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DrDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDoom)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767/26 "2004-03-20T00:28:44Z")
> [@sibyl](#): > > I got 15 right off the bat. > > 4 … 15 … 10 … 9 … 16 … 12 … 13 … Next? > > 4+15 = 19 > 10+9 = 19 > 16+12 = 28 > 13+x = 28 > > x = 15 > > _shrugs_ > > Wouldn’t know how to get the one after 15 now though, so I guess there is a better way. Nice logic! … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sequence/234767.md?page=1)