Can you find the next number in this sequence? - Alex Gendler
- 553,769 Views
- 4,975 Questions Answered
- TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221. These are the first five elements of a number
sequence. Can you figure out what comes next? Alex Gendler reveals the
answer and explains how beyond just being a neat puzzle, this type of sequence has practical applications as well.
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Read Conway’s original paper here, or take a closer look at Conway’s Constant and the visual graph of its roots. Or delve deeper into examining the elements and proofs regarding the limits of the sequence.

TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
More from Math In Real Life
Mathematics
The paradox at the heart of mathematics: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem
Lesson duration 05:20