1. Calculate the difference between consecutive pairs of terms:
- 11 - 3 = 8
- 5 - 11 = -6
- 17 - 5 = 12
- 6 - 17 = -11
2. There appears to be no direct additive/subtractive pattern. Let's look at the alternating terms to see if there's a sequence:
- First alternating pairs: 3, 5, 6
- Second alternating pairs: 11, 17
3. Difference in the second alternating sequence:
- 17 - 11 = 6
4. Add the difference to the last term in the second sequence to find the next term:
- 17 + 6 = 23
So, the next term in the sequence is:
23