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NUMBER SERIES

NUMBER SERIES

A number series is a sequence of numbers written in a certain pattern from left to right. We have to
detect/find the pattern that is followed in the series to solve the series questions. There are various
types of number series. Firstly, we have to find out the type of the series So that we can find the
wrong/missing term in the series.

There are following type of series

Difference Series
The series, in which next term is obtained by adding or subtracting a specific number to the previous
term, is known as difference series. In this, series is in increasing or decreasing order and difference
between consecutive terms may be equal or in a systematic arrangement.

Ex. Find out the missing term in the series 1, 6, 11, 16... 26.
Sol. Here, every next term is obtained by adding 5 to the previous term.
Required term = 16 + 5 = 21

Ex. Find out the missing term in the series 82, 74, 66, 58... 42.
Sol. Here, every next number is 8 less than the previous number. So, required number = 58–8 = 50

Perfect square series

In this type of of series, the series is made of perfect squares in a certain way and ask to find the
missing/wrong series.
Ex. 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, ?
22 = 4, 32= 9, 42= 16, 52= 25, 62= 36, 72= 49

Perfect cube series

In this type of of series, the series is made of perfect cubes in a certain way and ask to find the
missing/wrong series.
Ex. 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, ?
13= 1, 23= 8, 33= 27, 43= 64, 53= 125, 63= 216

Prime number series

The number which is divisible by 1 and itself is called a prime number. In this type of series, the series is
formed by using prime number is called prime number series.
Ex. Find out the next term in the series 7, 11,13,17,19,?
Sol: The next prime number should be 23.

Multiply Series
In this type of series, each term of a series is obtained by multiplying a number with the previous term is
called a multiplication series.
Note: Number which is multiplied to consecutive terms, can be fixed or variable

Ex. Find out the missing term in the series 3, 6, 12, 24, 48... 192.
Sol. Here, every next number is double the previous number. So, required number = 48 x 2 = 96

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NUMBER SERIES

Alternating Series
In alternating series, successive terms increase and decrease alternately. There is a combination of two
different series.
Two different operations are performed on successive terms alternately.

Ex. Find the next term in the series 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 9, ?

First series 1, 5, 9, 13 –there is difference of 4 in each term.
Second series 3, 6, 9, 12- there is difference of 3 in each term.

Mixed Series
This type of series contains more than one different pattern in a series which arranged in alternatively in
a single series or follow any non-conventional rule is called mixed series.

Ex. 5, 6, 14, 45, 184, ?

Sol: 5×1+1= 6
6×2+2= 14
14×3+3= 45
45×4+4= 184
184×5+5= 925
The missing term is 925

Practice Question

1. 16, 8.5, 9.5, 21, 88, ?

(A) 512 (B) 624 (C) 712 (D) 848 (E) 976

2. 28, 32, 23, 39, 14, 50, ?

(A) 1 (B) 5 (C) 14 (D) 24 (E) 62

3. 4, 9, 17, ? , 69, 139, 277

(A) 28 (B) 35 (C) 42 (D) 51 (E) None of these

4. 5, 6, 16, ?, 244, 1245

(A) 28 (B) 55 (C) 57 (D) 61 (E) None of these

5. 3, 14, 39, ?, 155 , 258

(A) 84 (B) 88 (C) 92 (D) 96 (E) 104

6. 8, 9, 15, 32, ? , 250.5

(A) 61 (B) 65.5 (C) 82.5 (D) 87 (E) 99

7. 4, 6, 16, 56, 240, ?

(A) 680 (B) 840 (C) 960 (D) 1020 (E) 1232

8. 1, 2, 10, 37, ? , 226

(A) 75 (B) 84 (C) 95 (D) 101 (E) 111

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NUMBER SERIES

9. 5, 11, 20, 43, 82,?

(A) 135 (B) 147 (C) 155 (D) 169 (E) 234

10. 4, 5, 8, 28, 104, ?

(A) 425 (B) 484 (C) 504 (D) 522 (E) 536

11. 2, 4, 10, 22, 42, 72, ?

(A) 102 (B) 106 (C) 114 (D) 124 (E) 132

12. 4, 2, 2, 4, 16, ?
(A) 64 (B) 72 (C) 96 (D) 128 (E) 156

13. 15, 15, 30, 10, 40, ?, 48

(A) 8 (B) 20 (C) 24 (D) 40 (E) 60

14. 2, 3, 8, 27, 112, ?

(A) 156 (B) 224 (C) 375 (D) 480 (E) 565

15. 5, 6, 10, 33, 128, ?

(A) 375 (B) 445 (C) 565 (D) 645 (E) 675

SOLUTION
1. Answer is option C 4. Answer is option C
Explanation: Explanation:
16 × 0.5 + 0.5 = 4.5 5 × 1+12 =5+1=6
8.5 × 1+ 1 = 9.5 6 × 2 + 22 = 12 + 4 = 16
9.5 × 2 + 2 = 21 16 × 3 + 32 = 48 + 9 = 57
21 × 4 + 4 = 84 57 × 4 + 42 = 228 + 16= 244
84 × 8 + 8 = 712 244 × 5 + 52 = 1245

2. Answer is option A 5. Answer is option A

Explanation: Explanation:
28 + 22 = 28 + 4 = 32 1+12+13=3
32 – 32 = 32 – 9 = 23 2+22+23=14
23 + 42 = 23 + 16 = 39 3+32+33= 39
39 – 52 = 39 – 25 = 14 4+42+43= 84
14 + 62 = 14 + 36 = 50 5+52+53= 155
50 – 72 = 50 – 49 = 1 6+62+63= 258

3. Answer is option B 6. Answer is option C

Explanation: Explanation:
9 = 4×2+1 8*1+1 = 9
17 = 9×2–1 9*1.5+1.5 = 15
35 = 17×2+1 15*2+2 = 32
69 = 35×2–1 32*2.5+2.5 = 82.5
139 = 69×2+1 82.5*3+3 = 250.5
277 = 139×2–1

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NUMBER SERIES

7. Answer is option E 12. Answer is option D

Explanation: Explanation:
4*1+2 = 6 4* .5 = 2
6*2+4 = 16 2*1 = 2
16*3+8 = 56 2*2 = 4
56*4+16 = 240 4*4 = 16
240*5+32 = 1232 16*8 = 128

8. Answer is option D 13. Answer is option A

Explanation: Explanation:
1+13 = 2 15/1 = 15
2+23 = 10 15*2 = 30
10+33 = 37 30/3 = 10
37+43 = 101 10*4 = 40
101+53 = 226 40/5 = 8
8*6 = 48
9. Answer is option D
Explanation: 14. Answer is option E
5*2+1 = 11 Explanation:
11*2-2 = 20 2*1+1 = 3
20*2+3 = 43 3*2+2 = 8
43*2-4 = 82 8*3+3 = 27
82*2+5 = 169 27*4+4 = 112
112*5+5 = 565
10. Answer is option E
Explanation: 15. Answer is option D
4*1+1 = 5 Explanation:
5*2-2 = 8 5*1+1 = 6
8*3+4 = 28 6*2-2 = 10
28*4-8 = 104 10*3+3 = 33
104*5+16 = 536 33*4-4 = 128
128*5+5 = 645
11. Answer is option C
Explanation:
2+12 +1= 4
4+22 +2= 10
10+32 +3= 22
22+42 +4= 42
42+52 +5= 72
72+62+6 = 114

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