This is a 'look-and-say' sequence where each term describes the previous term. 1 is read as 'one 1' (11), 11 is 'two 1s' (21), 21 is 'one 2, one 1' (1211), continuing this pattern: 13112221 is 'one 1, one 3, two 1s, three 2s, one 1' which equals 1113213211.