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6. \( 1,3,6,10,15,21, ?, ? \)

Ask by Hill Martinez. in the United States
Jan 23,2025

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Answer

The next two numbers in the sequence are 28 and 36.

Solution

The given sequence is: \[ 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, \ ?, \ ? \] Let's analyze the pattern: 1. **Differences Between Terms:** - \(3 - 1 = 2\) - \(6 - 3 = 3\) - \(10 - 6 = 4\) - \(15 - 10 = 5\) - \(21 - 15 = 6\) The differences between consecutive terms are increasing by **1** each time: \(2, 3, 4, 5, 6, \dots\) 2. **Next Differences:** - The next difference after \(6\) would be \(7\). - The following difference would be \(8\). 3. **Calculating the Next Terms:** - **First Missing Term:** \(21 + 7 = 28\) - **Second Missing Term:** \(28 + 8 = 36\) 4. **Triangular Numbers Interpretation:** - The sequence represents the **triangular numbers**, where the \(n\)th term is given by: \[ T_n = \frac{n(n+1)}{2} \] - For \(n = 7\): \[ T_7 = \frac{7 \times 8}{2} = 28 \] - For \(n = 8\): \[ T_8 = \frac{8 \times 9}{2} = 36 \] **Therefore, the next two numbers in the sequence are 28 and 36.**

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This sequence is known as the triangular numbers sequence! It starts with 1, and each term represents the total number of dots that can form an equilateral triangle. The next two numbers in the sequence are obtained by adding consecutive natural numbers to the last term. Following 21, the next number is 28 (21 + 7), and the one after that is 36 (28 + 8). So the complete sequence is \( 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36 \). If you look closely, you can spot a pattern! The differences between consecutive numbers are increasing by 1 each time: for example, \( 3-1=2 \), \( 6-3=3 \), \( 10-6=4 \), and so on. By recognizing these patterns, problem-solving in sequences can become a delightful puzzle instead of a daunting challenge!

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