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BACK

ODD MAN OUT & SERIES

EXAMPLE PROBLEMS:

     
1.Find the missing term in the series: 
  4,-8,16,-32,64,(     )

   SOLUTION:
                          The terms are doubled and change the sign.
                           So the next term is -128

2.16,33,65,131,261,(       )
      
    SOUTION:
         The terms are doubled and 1 is added.
         So 261*1+1=522+1=523  
         So the missing term is 523.
              
3.2,6,12,20,30,42,56,(       )
   
    SOLUTION:
        The pattern is 1 * 2 ,  2 * 3 , 3 * 4 , 4 * 5 , 5 * 6 , 6 * 7 , 
         7 * 8 , 8 * 9 .
        So the series is 2,6,12,20,30,42,56,72.
        So 72 is the missing term.
    
4.  8,24,12,36,18,54,(         )
       
      SOLUTION: 
             Numbers are alternatively multiplied by 3 and divided by 
             2.  So  the next term is 54 / 2 = 27.

5.  165,195,255,285,345,(         )
         
        SOLUTION:
            Each number is 15 multiplied by a prime number.
            i.e the series is  15*11,15*13,15*17,15*19,15*23,15*29.
            So series is 165,195,255,285,345,435.
            So 435 is the missing  term.

6.   7,16,63,124,215,342,(      ).
          
         SOLUTION:
            Numbers are  23 -1,33-1,43-1,....................so 83-1=511.
            So 511 is the missing term.

7.2,4,12,48,240,(           )
 
      SOLUTION:
            Go on multiplying by 2,3,4,5,6.
            So the last term in the series is 240*6=1440.

8.8,7,11,12,14,17,17,22,(              )

      SOLUTION:
            There are two series 8,11,14,17,20  and 7,12,17,22
            So increasing by 3 and 5.So 20 the missing term.

9.71,76,69,74,67,72,(    )
    
     SOLUTION:
          Alternately add 5 and subtract 7.
          so the series is 71+5=76 

10.2,5,9,19,37

    SOLUTION:
         Second number is one more than twice the first,Third                    
         number is one less than twice the second,Forth is one      
         more than twice the third and so on.
         So the next number is  2 * 37 + 1 = 74+1 = 75.     
 
11. Find the wrong number in the given series.
       3,8,15,24,34,48,63

     SOLUTION:
          The difference between consecutive terms are 
          respectively  5,7,9,11,13.
          So 34 is the wrong number in the series.

12.  125,106,88,76,65,58,53
      SOLUTION:
          Subtract 24,21,18,15,12,9 from the numbers to get the 
          next number.
          So 128 is wrong.

13. 1,1,2,6,24,96,720
                
      SOLUTION:
         Multiply with 1,2,3,4,5,6 to get the next number.
         So 96 is wrong.

14 . 32,36,41,61,86,122,171,235

      SOLUTION:
          Second term = First term + 22
          Third term = Second term + 32
      	 Fourth term = Third term + 42
          Fifth term = Forth term + 52
          Sixth term = Fifth term + 62
        Seventh term = Sixth term + 72
        So the third term should be 45 instead of 41. 
 
15 . 15,16,34,105,424,2124,12576
                            
     SOLUTION:
           Second term = First term * 1 + 1 = 16
           Third term = Second term * 2 + 2 = 34
           Forth term = Third Term  * 3 + 3 = 105
           Fifth term = Forth term * 4 + 4 = 424
           Sixth term = Fifth term * 5 + 5 =2125
           Seventh term  = Sixth term * 6 + 6 = 12576.
           So 2124 is wrong.

16 . 40960,10240,2560,640,200,40,10   
                                       
     SOLUTION:
         Go on dividing by 4 ,the series will be  
           40960,10240,2560,640,160,40,10.
           So 200 is wrong.

17.7,8,18,57,228,1165,6996
                
     SOLUTION:
         Let the numbers be A,B,C,D,E,F,G then       
         A,A*1+1,B*2+2,C*3+3,............
         so 288 is wrong.

18. 19,26,33,46,59,74,91
 
     SOLUTION:
         Go on adding 7,9,11,13,15,17.
         So 33  is wrong.

19 . 10,26,74,218,654,1946,5834.
     
    SOLUTION:
         Second term = first term * 3 – 4 = 26.
         Third term = Second term * 3 – 4 =74
         Forth term = Third term * 3 – 4 =218
         Fifth term = Forth term * 3 – 4 =650                                   
         So 654 is wrong .