Can anyone solve this?

[Li'l Witch]

73 41 16 0 -9 ?

thanks

 

[Tranquillian]

-18

 

[jimbobhickville]

if it was 77, not 73, then the next one would be -13

77 - (6^2) = 41
31 - (5^2) = 16
16 - (4^2) = 0
0 - (3^2) = -9
-9 - (2^2) = -13

but since it's 73, I see no significance.

 

[Li'l Witch]

Originally posted by At The Gates
-18

is correct!!
how did you do that?
it's the only mathQ I couldn't answer....

 

[Tranquillian]

Its simple.

The difference of the numbers was 32=(73-41), 25=(41-16), 16=(16-0), 9=(0--9).

32-25=7
25-16=9
16-9=7

-9-9=-18

The series would continue to decrease with an alternating difference of 7 and 9. I am not sure if I even understood that myself .

I suppose the next number would also be -18...not sure though

 

[jimbobhickville]

Uh, what the hell? You broke you're own pattern.

The difference of the numbers was 32=(73-41), 25=(41-16), 16=(16-0), 9=(0--9).

32 - 25 = 7
25 - 16 = 9
16 - (-9) = 25

the pattern is already broken.

If we assume that we are to use only positive numbers:
32 - 25 = 7
25 - 16 = 9
16 - 9 = 7

we need 9 next
9 - 0 = 9

so -9 would be next then.

That math question is BS, there is no pattern.