Each term in this pattern is created by adding consecutive multiples of 2 to the previous term.
\(a_1=3 \\
a_2=3+ 2 \times 1=5 \\
a_3=5+2 \times 2=9 \\
a_4=9+2 \times 3=15 \\
a_5=15+2 \times 4=23\)
You can write the formula for this pattern as:
\(\left \{ {{a_1=3} \atop {a_n=a_{n-1}+2(n-1)}} \right.\)
The next number is \(23+2 \times 5=23+10=33\).
The answer is 33.
