Math Is Fun Forum

avimcg

Member

Registered: 2007-11-07

Posts: 7

--- Mystery Number Series ---

This is related to something I'm working on, I need to figure out the number series in the images I posted below.

It seems as though the number string here follows a simple pattern of gradual variation as it goes on (ie there is a repeat of the same set of numbers about twice then the string slowly varies one or two digits at a time)

I don't believe this to be an extremely difficult problem, I'm just having trouble seeing the pattern.

ABOUT THE IMAGES:
I have randomly selected two sample from a string of millions of numbers, I organized the samples into columns for easier viewing but essentially you can read the numbers as one continuous string read from TOP to BOTTOM (each image is a different string but follow the same patter of variation that we are trying to figure out here). And so, for example in the first image, the BOTTOM of column M continues to the TOP of column N.

Feel free to post questions about this if everything isn't clear.
Also the images are also available as an Excel file, let me know if anyone wants it.

Last edited by avimcg (2007-11-07 07:36:13)

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: --- Mystery Number Series ---

Can you let us know what the numbers represent? Any background is useful.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

avimcg

Member

Registered: 2007-11-07

Posts: 7

Re: --- Mystery Number Series ---

they essentially don't represent anything. this comes from an archaic book of unique "designation terms" that would be used to designate between a large inventory of....well whatever (ie each item would be assigned a unique reference "designation term", the numbers here are the last digit in these "designation terms". all the other digits in the each of these "designation terms" follow a simple pattern that I was able to decipher, only this last digit follows a more complicated pattern.  whoever created this huge old book of "designation terms"probably used a simple algorithm to produce these numbers in large quantity.

these numbers' variation have nothing to do with the other digits in these "designation terms" and so you should have all the information you need to figure out this little puzzle.

and so essentially, you shouldnt need any background info, but there's a little for ya.

Happy Puzzling!

Last edited by avimcg (2007-11-07 09:18:25)

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: --- Mystery Number Series ---

This is a duplicate posting of this topic.  Since the author wants to know the solution, it truly belongs in Help Me.  So this topic is being locked.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."