Question

What is the next number in the pattern below? 3, 5, 9, 15, 23, ___ 31 33 35 37

Answer 1

Answer: 33 for Plato

Explanation:

Answer 2

Each term in this pattern is created by adding consecutive multiples of 2 to the previous term.

`a_1=3 \\ a_2=3+ 2 * 1=5 \\ a_3=5+2 * 2=9 \\ a_4=9+2 * 3=15 \\ a_5=15+2 * 4=23`

You can write the formula for this pattern as:

`\left \{ {{a_1=3} \atop {a_n=a_(n-1)+2(n-1)}} \right.`

The next number is
`23+2 * 5=23+10=33`.
The answer is 33.