# Guess what the next number in this sequence is:



## gavnasty (Jun 9, 2010)

I took my linguistics final today. This was an extra credit question, and I had no idea what the answer was:

Guess what the next number in this sequence is:
12, 1 , 2, 25, 18, 9, 14, 20, ___

It has nothing to do with the subject matter of the course (I don't think). anyway, I _guessed_ 7 because the instructions say 'guess.' Hopefully that gets me the extra credit.

There are some smart people here right? What's the next number?


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## koreancuber (Jun 9, 2010)

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/index.php?


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## TheMachanga (Jun 9, 2010)

42


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## vcuber13 (Jun 9, 2010)

TheMachanga said:


> 42



How do you figure?


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## oprah62 (Jun 9, 2010)

42


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## musicninja17 (Jun 9, 2010)

42.


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## Cyrus C. (Jun 9, 2010)

vcuber13 said:


> TheMachanga said:
> 
> 
> > 42
> ...



42 is the meaning of life.


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## martin8768 (Jun 9, 2010)

musicninja17 said:


> 42.



this


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## Edward (Jun 9, 2010)

I'm sure he was looking for a serious answer, and IMO he deserves one. Gawd, what happened. I have no idea how to figure it out, those are just my 1.5 cents.


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## miniGOINGS (Jun 9, 2010)

1.5

Cause Edward says so.


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## StachuK1992 (Jun 9, 2010)

3 1 2 7 9 5 2 
10 16 4 6


hrm, I pick 16, which is only somewhat guessing? 
I'm still thinking, though.


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## oprah62 (Jun 9, 2010)

Edward said:


> I'm sure he was looking for a serious answer, and IMO he deserves one. Gawd, what happened. I have no idea how to figure it out, those are just my 1.5 cents.



you fail. 42 is the answer









maybe


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## Neo63 (Jun 9, 2010)

hmm OEIS didn't turn up anything, so I guess it's something really obscure.

EDIT: you guys, stop posting 42, it's getting old

EDIT2: I just realized this is for linguistics...I'll ask my friend


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## Edward (Jun 9, 2010)

oprah62 said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > I'm sure he was looking for a serious answer, and IMO he deserves one. Gawd, what happened. I have no idea how to figure it out, those are just my 1.5 cents.
> ...



You've been ninja'd ~5 times with the "42" thing, you're unoriginal, you can't even capitalise correctly, and you can't recognize when it's time to be sarcastic and when it's time to give real help. Wrong sir, wrong. It is you that fail.


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## Samania (Jun 9, 2010)

If everyone says 42, then it would be nice if they gave a reason or how they found 42.


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## oprah62 (Jun 9, 2010)

Edward said:


> oprah62 said:
> 
> 
> > Edward said:
> ...



It is you that fail? Capitalise? Mr. Grammar police fails


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## Edward (Jun 9, 2010)

oprah62 said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > oprah62 said:
> ...



There's a difference between pointing out a flaw in your post, and being a grammar police. Please, just stfu.


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## Neo63 (Jun 9, 2010)

oprah62 said:


> Edward said:
> 
> 
> > oprah62 said:
> ...



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Capitalise
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/capitalise
Wrong sir, wrong again


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## Cyrus C. (Jun 9, 2010)

oprah62 said:


> Capitalise?


An alternative spelling. Oprah62. Stop hi-jacking his thread.


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## oprah62 (Jun 9, 2010)

Neo63 said:


> oprah62 said:
> 
> 
> > Edward said:
> ...



Haha look closer in the first link.


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## Logan (Jun 9, 2010)

42 

If you don't know what that means, then you don't get the honor of being called a nerd.


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## gavnasty (Jun 9, 2010)

Neo63 said:


> EDIT2: I just realized this is for linguistics...I'll ask my friend



I don't think any of this has to do with linguistics. None of what we learned in the quarter had anything to do with guessing the next number in a sequence.

If it's any help, she had a similar problem on the midterm.

_guess_ what the next number in the following sequence is:
7, 15, 2, 12 , 9, __

I guessed 27 figuring you're adding every other number (7+2=9, 15+12=27) and got credit for my answer. She underlined and italicized 'guess' so maybe they're just gibberish numbers and she just wants us to guess.


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## Neo63 (Jun 9, 2010)

oprah62, seriously, just stfu...ever heard of British spelling?


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## StachuK1992 (Jun 9, 2010)

I'm thinking either 16 or 21. Post when someone knows the actual answer.


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## goatseforever (Jun 9, 2010)

Reassign them to their corresponding letters of the alphabet and they spell L,A,B,Y,R,I,N,T. The next letter is H, so the next number is 8. 

Also, 42.


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## Neo63 (Jun 9, 2010)

goatseforever said:


> Reassign them to their corresponding letters of the alphabet and they spell L,A,B,Y,R,I,N,T. The next letter is H, so the next number is 8.



 ohh that is cool! wow

EDIT: see, it does have to do with linguistics (well somewhat)


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## Samania (Jun 9, 2010)

goatseforever said:


> Reassign them to their corresponding letters of the alphabet and they spell L,A,B,Y,R,I,N,T. The next letter is H, so the next number is 8.
> 
> Also, 42.



I KINDA GET IT  

Also, I love your avatar ^^


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## ianini (Jun 9, 2010)

1337! Wait, that's very unreasonable as an answer...


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## gavnasty (Jun 9, 2010)

goatseforever said:


> Reassign them to their corresponding letters of the alphabet and they spell L,A,B,Y,R,I,N,T. The next letter is H, so the next number is 8.
> 
> Also, 42.



Awesome. That makes so much sense now. She was always used labyrinths, goblins, someone named Hoggle stealing jewels, and a guy named Jareth in her examples. I think it has to do with one of her favorite movies.


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## dabmasta (Jun 9, 2010)

I say it will be odd. Looking at the pattern, it is completely possible.


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## StachuK1992 (Jun 9, 2010)

goatseforever said:


> Reassign them to their corresponding letters of the alphabet and they spell L,A,B,Y,R,I,N,T. The next letter is H, so the next number is 8.
> 
> Also, 42.


aww damn, I diditrong.

anyway, congrats


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## Neo63 (Jun 9, 2010)

dabmasta said:


> I say it will be odd. Looking at the pattern, it is completely possible.



lol

Samania, me or goatseforever?


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## gavnasty (Jun 9, 2010)

Wow, and the other pattern spelled GOBLINS


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## dabmasta (Jun 9, 2010)

The alphabet thing makes sense. But what is 42 on the alphabet?


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## oprah62 (Jun 9, 2010)

dabmasta said:


> The alphabet thing makes sense. But what is 42 on the alphabet?



16th(42-26) too lazy to see what it is


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## Dene (Jun 9, 2010)

LMAO your teacher has a problem.


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## Ranzha (Jun 9, 2010)

The answer is 8.

It's quite simple, actually.
Each of the numbers is assigned a letter of the alphabet.
1 would be "A", 2 would be "B", etc.

The word that is to be spelled is "labyrinth", but the "h" was missing.
Thus, 8. QED.


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## Innocence (Jun 9, 2010)

Ranzha V. Emodrach said:


> The answer is 8.
> 
> It's quite simple, actually.
> Each of the numbers is assigned a letter of the alphabet.
> ...



Ya, you were ninja'd several posts ago.


It's still amazing that nobody figured it out until then. I finally know what they're talking about with those sequences!


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## Ranzha (Jun 9, 2010)

Innocence said:


> Ranzha V. Emodrach said:
> 
> 
> > The answer is 8.
> ...



I saw the post, but I felt like it needed expansion.


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## Raffael (Jun 9, 2010)

yor're teacher seems to have a good taste in movies.
'Labyrinth' is one of the best movies ever made.

you'd propably have gotten points for '42' as an answer as well.


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## jackdexter75 (Jun 9, 2010)

Ranzha V. Emodrach said:


> Innocence said:
> 
> 
> > Ranzha V. Emodrach said:
> ...



Don't worry it didn't need any at all. =) lmfao


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## Ranzha (Jun 10, 2010)

jackdexter75 said:


> Ranzha V. Emodrach said:
> 
> 
> > Innocence said:
> ...



True. I just looked through all the posts with "42" in them and saw nothing relative to the original question. -___- I need to lurk moar. -Hides in corner.-


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