Generate a function from a list of numbers

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around generating the 31st number in the sequence defined by the "look and say" pattern, starting with the list x = [1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221,...]. Participants emphasize the importance of recognizing the pattern in the sequence, as each term describes the previous one. There is a clarification that the problem is not just about finding the term itself but also understanding its length. Additionally, it is noted that there can be multiple interpretations of the sequence, with references to the OEIS for further exploration. Ultimately, grasping the underlying pattern is crucial for solving the problem effectively.
chipChocolate
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I have a list of numbers x = [1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221,...], I need to find the 31st number in that list.
 
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Hint: Look and say

Hint 2: 11 should not be seen as "eleven" but rather as individual ones.
 
chipChocolate said:
I have a list of numbers x = [1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221,...], I need to find the 31st number in that list.

It could be anything. Truncating a sequence loses all information about subsequent terms.

Are you told how to construct the nth term, given the values of previous terms? If so, you need to do that.
 
The actual question is to find the length of the 31st term.
 
Last edited:
chipChocolate said:
The actual question is to find the length of the 31st term.

You need to recognize the pattern first. See Post #2.
 
Hint: The next term says something, quite literally, about the previous term.
 
micromass said:
You need to recognize the pattern first. See Post #2.

Thanks for the hint, I finally got it.
 
The problem with this type of questions is that they have more than one answer in general. For this particular sequence we have 3 possibilities that can be found at OEIS.
 

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