BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

sequence

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:52 am

sequence

by sgr21 » Mon Oct 21, 2013 10:58 am
hey guys i am some how stuck with series almst evry tym
What comes next in the series?
5, 16, 60, 236, 940,
Top
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:00 am
sgr21 wrote:hey guys i am some how stuck with series almst evry tym
What comes next in the series?
5, 16, 60, 236, 940,
This would never be an actual GMAT question because it's possible to find more than 1 pattern in a set of numbers. For similar post, see: https://www.beatthegmat.com/iq-i-gues-t270998.html

For example, what comes next in this sequence: 1, 2, 4, ... ?
Well, perhaps we're doubling each number, in which case the next value is 8
Or, perhaps we're adding 1, then 2, then 3 then 4 (etc), in which case the next value is 7

Yes, I can see that having 5 values reduces the number of possible scenarios, but the rationale for why the GMAT would not test this still stands.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1556
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:18 pm
Thanked: 448 times
Followed by:34 members
GMAT Score:650

by theCodeToGMAT » Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:04 am
5, 16, 60, 236, 940,

16-5 = 11
60-16 = 44 = 11x4
236-60 = 176 = 44x4
940-236 = 704 = 174*4

So, next digit = 940 + 704*4 = 3756

Is it correct?
Last edited by theCodeToGMAT on Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
R A H U L
Top
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:07 am
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:1 members

by AIM TO CRACK GMAT » Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:33 am
theCodeToGMAT wrote:5, 16, 60, 236, 940,

16-5 = 11
60-16 = 44 = 11x4
236-60 = 176 = 44x4
940-236 = 704 = 174*4

So, next digit = 236 + 704*4 = 3052

Is it correct?
Hey ... M afraid not! The OA is 3756
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1556
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:18 pm
Thanked: 448 times
Followed by:34 members
GMAT Score:650

by theCodeToGMAT » Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:36 am
AIM TO CRACK GMAT wrote:
theCodeToGMAT wrote:5, 16, 60, 236, 940,

16-5 = 11
60-16 = 44 = 11x4
236-60 = 176 = 44x4
940-236 = 704 = 174*4

So, next digit = 236 + 704*4 = 3052

Is it correct?
Hey ... M afraid not! The OA is 3756
Yeah correct.. i made a typo... :) .. sometimes answer choices help to check errors :) .. solution fixed.
R A H U L
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Mon Oct 21, 2013 7:15 pm
Hi sgr21,

Brent is correct that this question would never appear on the real GMAT. Also, the 5 answer choices can provide value information (or hints) as to how to solve this problem.

The pattern behind this question is to "take a term, multiply it by 4, then subtract 4" to get the next term:

5x4 - 4 = 16
16x4 - 4 = 60
60x4 - 4 = 236
236x4 - 4 = 940

940x4 - 4 = 3756

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1