Strategy guide
How to crack any sequence
Click a pattern box to highlight the decision path that leads to it.
Start: Calculate the differences between each pair of consecutive terms
Are the differences between consecutive terms all the same?
YES
NO
Do the differences themselves follow a pattern — e.g. they double, or increase by the same amount each step?
YES
NO
Can you split the sequence into two separate sequences by taking every other term?
YES
NO
Does each term equal the previous term multiplied by a fixed number, then shifted by a constant? (next = prev × a + b)
YES
NO
Do two different operations alternate (e.g. ×2 then -3, then ×2 then -3…)?
YES
NO
1
Are the differences between consecutive terms all the same?
If YES:
If NO, continue
2
Do the differences themselves follow a pattern — e.g. they double, or increase by the same amount each step?
If YES:
If NO, continue
3
Can you split the sequence into two separate sequences by taking every other term?
If YES:
If NO, continue
4
Does each term equal the previous term multiplied by a fixed number, then shifted by a constant? (next = prev × a + b)
If YES:
If NO, continue
5
Do two different operations alternate (e.g. ×2 then -3, then ×2 then -3…)?
If YES:
If NO, continue
None of the above matched? Then:
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