Missing Number Series – 20 Exam■Type Questions (With
Step■by■Step Solutions)
Bank/SBI/SSC pattern practice set. Each question is followed by a crisp explanation.
Questions & Solutions
Q1) 7, 10, 16, 25, 37, ?
Solution: Differences: +3, +6, +9, +12 (increase by +3). Next diff +15 ⇒ 37+15 = 52.
Answer: 52
Q2) 2, 6, 18, 54, ?, 486
Solution: Geometric ×3: 2→6→18→54; next 54×3=162; then 162×3=486.
Answer: 162
Q3) 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ?
Solution: Perfect squares n² with n=1..5. Next 6²=36.
Answer: 36
Q4) 5, 11, 23, 47, ?, 191
Solution: Each term = previous×2 +1. 5→11(×2+1), 11→23, 23→47 ⇒ 47×2+1=95; 95×2+1=191.
Answer: 95
Q5) 3, 8, 18, 35, 61, ?
Solution: Differences: +5, +10, +17, +26 which are 2²+1, 3²+1, 4²+1, 5²+1 ⇒ next +6²+1=37 ⇒ 61+37=98.
Answer: 98
Q6) 14, 28, 21, 42, 35, ?
Solution: Alternate ×2 and ×1.5? Check: 14→28(×2), 28→21(−7), 21→42(×2), 42→35(−7) ⇒ pattern ×2,
−7. Next: 35×2=70.
Answer: 70
Q7) 2, 5, 11, 23, 47, ?
Solution: Pattern: previous×2 +1? 2×2+1=5; 5×2+1=11; 11×2+1=23; 23×2+1=47; next 47×2+1=95.
Answer: 95
Q8) 12, 38, 90, 194, 402, ?
Solution: ×2 +14 each time: 12→38, 38→90, 90→194, 194→402 ⇒ next 402×2+14=818.
Answer: 818
Q9) 2880, 480, 96, ?, 8, 4
Solution: Divide by descending integers: ÷6, ÷5, ÷4, ÷3, ÷2. So missing = 96÷4=24.
Answer: 24
Q10) 144, 256, 400, 576, 784, ?
Solution: Squares of 12,16,20,24,28 (gap +4). Next 32²=1024.
Answer: 1024
Q11) 6, 13, 38, ?, 532, 2675
Solution: Multiply by 2,3,4,5 … with small adjustments: 6×2+1=13; 13×3−1=38; Let missing be x.
x×4+16=532 ⇒ x=(532−16)/4=129; check 532×5+15=2675.
Answer: 129
Q12) 4, 6, 10, 18, 34, ?
Solution: Differences: +2, +4, +8, +16 (doubling). Next +32 ⇒ 34+32=66.
Answer: 66
Q13) 1, 2, 6, 24, ?, 720
Solution: Factorial-like ×n: ×1, ×3, ×4, ×5? Better: n! progression: 1,2,3!,4!,5!,6! would be 1,2,6,24,120,720.
So missing = 120.
Answer: 120
Q14) 5, 9, 17, 33, 65, ?
Solution: Each term = previous×2 −1: 5→9(×2−1), 9→17, 17→33, 33→65 ⇒ next 65×2−1=129.
Answer: 129
Q15) 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, ?
Solution: Pattern: previous×2 +1: 2→5? Wait 2×2+1=5 skips 3. Alternate: Two interleaved series. Odd
positions: 2,5,17… (×2+1, ×2+?); Even: 3,9,? (×3). Better: Differences: +1, +2, +4, +8 (doubling). Next +16
⇒ 17+16=33.
Answer: 33
Q16) 80, 77, 69, 54, 30, ?
Solution: Differences: −3, −8, −15, −24 which are −(1²+2), −(2²+4), −(3²+6), −(4²+8) pattern −(n²+2n). Next
−(5²+10)=−35 ⇒ 30−35=−5.
Answer: -5
Q17) 1, 3, 7, 15, 31, ?
Solution: Each term = previous×2 +1: 1→3→7→15→31 ⇒ next 63.
Answer: 63
Q18) 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, ?
Solution: Primes increasing: next 29? Wait 23→29 is correct (prime after 23 is 29).
Answer: 29
Q19) 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, ?
Solution: Differences: +1, +2, +3, +4 ⇒ next +5 ⇒ 24.
Answer: 24
Q20) 2, 9, 28, 65, 126, ?
Solution: Pattern n³+1: 1³+1=2, 2³+1=9, 3³+1=28, 4³+1=65, 5³+1=126 ⇒ next 6³+1=217.
Answer: 217
Quick Recognition Tips
• ■■■ differences ■■■■■ ■■■ ⇒ Arithmetic Progression (AP).
• ■■■ ratio ■■■■■ ■■ ⇒ Geometric Progression (GP).
• differences ■■■ pattern ■■■■■ ■■■ (■■■■ +1, +2, +3 ■■ squares/cubes) ⇒ difference-based series.
• Perfect squares/cubes, factorials, prime numbers—■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■■■
• Alternate/Interleaved series: odd-even positions ■■■-■■■ logic ■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
• Mix operations (×n ± k) ■■■ n ■■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ (2,3,4,5…).
• Exam ■■■ ■■■■ 3–4 steps verify ■■■■ ■■ missing ■■■■■■—■■■ pattern ■■ time ■■ ■■■■■
