Given the number pattern 2,5,10,17

Provide a rule to describe the relationship between the numbers in this number pattern

1 answer

The rule to describe the relationship between the numbers in this number pattern is that each subsequent number is obtained by adding the next odd number.

Starting with 2:
2 + 1 (the first odd number) = 3
3 + 2 (the second odd number) = 5
5 + 3 (the third odd number) = 8
8 + 4 (the fourth odd number) = 12
12 + 5 (the fifth odd number) = 17

Therefore, the pattern is formed by adding consecutive odd numbers to the previous number.