Final answer:
The number sequence 256, 128, 64, 32 follows a halving pattern and the next number is determined by dividing the last number by 2, resulting in 16 as the next number.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine what number comes next in the sequence 256, 128, 64, 32, we need to identify the pattern. Observing the sequence, we see that each number is half of its predecessor. This is a halving pattern.
To find the next number, we simply take the last number in the sequence, which is 32, and apply the same pattern by dividing it by 2.
- 256 ÷ 2 = 128
- 128 ÷ 2 = 64
- 64 ÷ 2 = 32
- 32 ÷ 2 = 16
Therefore, the next number in the sequence following the halving pattern is 16.