Identify the Pattern
Posted by BryanNov 11
In an attempt to not actually do homework, I thought I’d throw out a pattern and see who can guess what it is. Have fun:
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
13112221
1113213211
31131211131221
1321133113112211
11131221232113212221
…
No searching allowed. If you’re already familiar with the sequence, say so in the comment. Since they are moderated by me, I can hold your comment until others have a chance to figure out the pattern.
5 comments
Comment by Tim Ricchuiti on November 11, 2008 at 2:47 am
not sure how to describe it mathematically, but you’re writing what you see, then writing that out, then writing that out, and so forth. so you start with 1. and you see one 1 (11). and then you see two ones (21). and then you see 1 two and one 1 (1211). and then you see 1 one and 1 two and 2 ones (111221), and so on.
Comment by Nathan R. on November 11, 2008 at 10:12 am
Never seen this before, but think i got it.
First line, we have 1.
Second line, we have one 1 (=11)
Third line, we have two 1s (=21)
Fourth line, we have one 2 and one 1 (=1211)
Fifth line, we have one 1 one 2 two 1s
So the pattern is simply saying what the previous line contains as far as individual numerals and then writing this as numerals.
So the first numeral is the frequency of the second numeral in the preceeding line. The third numeral is the frequency of the fourth numeral in the preceeding line, etc.
Comment by Sammie on November 11, 2008 at 12:34 pm
booooo
I can’t do it
haha but I love you!
Comment by matthew r malcolm on November 11, 2008 at 4:38 pm
ooh I think I can see it: Each line explains the line above: So for example the final line indicates that the line above it has one “1″; one “3″; one “2″; two “1″s; etc etc etc…
Comment by Bryan on November 11, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Tim, Nathan, and Matt are correct!
The patter is called the Morris Number Sequence
Read it like this:
one (1)
one 1 (11)
two 1s (21)
one 2, one 1 (1211)
….