135k views
4 votes
What should the next number be? 100 96 104 88 120 56

User Neva
by
5.3k points

1 Answer

2 votes

100 ---> 96 is -4

96 ---> 104 is +8

104 ---> 88 is -16

88 ---> 120 is +32

120 ---> 56 is -64

So first we go down by 4, then up by 8, then down 16, then up 32, then finally down 64.

The pattern of numbers is: -4, +8, -16, +32, -64

Notice it's the powers of 2:

2^2 = 4

2^3 = 8

2^4 = 16

2^5 = 32

2^6 = 64

each term doubles. Also each term alternates in sign. One is positive, then the next is negative and so on.

The last difference is -64, which doubles to -128. Change the sign to positive to get +128

Add 128 to the last term of 56 to get

128+56 = 184

Therefore, the final answer is 184

User Johugz
by
5.7k points