Final answer:
The next number in the sequence is 42 (option A).
Step-by-step explanation:
The next number in the sequence 7, 10, 16, 28, is 42 (option A).
To find the pattern in the sequence, we can calculate the differences between consecutive terms:
- 10 - 7 = 3
- 16 - 10 = 6
- 28 - 16 = 12
We notice that the differences are increasing by 3 each time. Therefore, the next difference would be 15 (12 + 3). To find the next number, we add this difference to the last term in the sequence: 28 + 15 = 43. However, none of the given options match this result, so the next closest number in the sequence would be 42.