Answer: What Comes Next? #390

The answer is C: 44.

The rule

Add 5, then add 9, then 5, then 9, and so on. The pattern of adding takes turns.

The pattern as Python code

Here is a tiny Python program that follows the same rule. Type it into IDLE and run it to print the whole pattern, including the answer.

adds = [5, 9]
number = 2
for step in range(7):
    print(number)
    number = number + adds[step % 2]

When you run it, Python prints:

2
7
16
21
30
35
44