Can you crack this tricky number sequence puzzle?
A seemingly simple math puzzle is causing quite a bit of trouble. "What will be next?"—can you answer this question by looking at the numbers arranged in a sequence and choosing from four possible answers? Only one is correct.
Math puzzles and riddles are great exercises for logical thinking. However, they can sometimes stir up emotions and even nerves, especially when a puzzle that seemed simple turns out to be quite challenging.
Solve the math puzzle
"What will be next?"—that's the key question of the math puzzle, published on the website logiclike.com. The puzzle involves the following numbers:
25, 20, 16, 13, 11...
What number will be next?
The proposed answers are:
- 10,
- 7,
- 9,
- 8.
Which answer is correct?
The solution to this math puzzle is not simple at all. The first step is to figure out the pattern underlying the sequence of numbers. Once we do that, it becomes clear that:
- If we subtract the second number from the first, 25 and 20, we get 5.
- If we subtract the third number from the second, 20 and 16, we get 4.
- When we subtract the fourth number from the third, 16 and 13, we get 3.
- When we subtract the fifth number from the fourth, 13 and 11, we get 2.
- Following this pattern, the result of the last operation is 1. Therefore, the correct answer is 10 because 11 - 10 equals 1.
The whole sequence looks like this:
25 (-5) 20 (-4) 16 (-3) 13 (-2) 11 (-1) 10
Did you manage to guess the correct number? If so, congratulations! If not, don't worry—keep trying. Practice makes perfect. Try to solve other puzzles.
