What's Next?

**mabs239** · May9-09, 05:00 AM

Sorry if it looks too foolish...

1=5
2=25
3=125
4=625
5=?

**CompuChip** · May9-09, 05:21 AM

I would say 3125 and it's a no-brainer, although it's hard to tell based on finitely many terms

**jamesb-uk** · May9-09, 06:03 AM

I assume it's 5^5, so 3125.

**CompuChip** · May9-09, 06:05 AM

Then again, if 1 = 5 it can be anything :)

**mabs239** · May11-09, 03:09 AM

Originally Posted by CompuChip

Then again, if 1 = 5 it can be anything :)

Yeh, 1=5 and 5=1 ;)

**John37** · May19-09, 10:00 AM

3125 right? or is this a no brainer

**CompuChip** · May19-09, 03:09 PM

So in summary:
- First one could remark that based on 4 terms, it is hard to say something. The sequence might be 5, 25, 125, 625, 125, 25, 5, 25, ... for all we know.
- Anyway, looking at the sequence 5, 25, 125, 625 one would expect 3125.
- Looking at the first line, "1 = 5", one would say that "5 = 1"
- But then one could counter this semi-mathematical argument by a rigorous one, saying that if 1 = 5 then we have a true contradiction, hence we can show that 5 is equal to anything we like.