SEQUENCE AND

SERIES
COMPLETION
 SERIES
COMPLETION
WHAT IS IT?
 In this type of questions, some numbers and/or
alphabetical letters are given.
 They all form a series and the series changes in certain
order.
 The series may also have one or more numbers/letters
missing.
 You are required to observe that specific order in which
the series changes and then complete the series.
 TYPES OF SERIES

Number Series
Alpha series
Letter series
Number and Letter Analogy
NUMBER SERIES
TYPES OF NUMBER SERIES
I. Prime number Series :  
Example (1) : 2,3,5,7,11,13, ........... 
Answer : The given series is prime number series . The next prime number is
17. 
 
Example (2) :2,5,11,17,23,...........41. 
Answer: The prime numbers are written alternately. 

II. Difference Series : 
Example (1): 2,5,8,11,14,17,...........,23. 
Answer: The difference between the numbers is 3. (17+3 = 20) 
 
Example (2): 45,38,31,24,17,...........,3.
Answer: The difference between the numbers is 7. (17-7=10).
III. Multiplication Series: 
Example (1) : 2,6,18,54,162,.........,1458.
Answer: The numbers are multiplied by 3 to get next number. (162x3 =
486). 
 
Example: (2) : 3,12,48,192,............,3072. 
Answer : The numbers are multiplied by 4 to get the next number. (192x4
=768). 

IV.  Division Series:

Example (1): 720, 120, 24, .........,2,1 
Answer: 720/6=120, 120/5=24, 24/4=6, 6/3=2, 2/2=1. 
 
Example (2) : 32, 48, 72, 108, .........., 243. 
Answer: 2. Number x 3/2= next number. 32x3/2=48, 48x3/2=72,
72x3/2=108, 108x3/2=162. 
V. n2 Series: 
Example(1) : 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ......., 49 
Answer:  The series is 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, .... The next number is 62=36; 
 
Example (2) : 0, 4, 16, 36, 64, ........ 144. 
Answer :The series is 02, 22, 42, 62, etc. The next number is 102=100. 
 
VI.  n2−1 Series : 
Example : 0, 3, 8, 15, 24,35, 48, .........., 
Answer : The series is 12-1, 22-1, 32-1 etc. The next number is 82 -1=63. 
Another logic : Difference between numbers is 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 etc. The
next number is (48+15=63). 
 
VII.n2 +1 Series :  
Example : 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, 37, .........., 65. 
Answer : The series is 12+1, 22+1, 32+1 etc. The next number is 72+1=50. 
VIII. n2+n Series (or)  n2−n Series :
Example : 2, 6, 12, 20, ............, 42. 
Answer : The series is 12+1, 22+2, 32+3, 42+4 etc. The next number =
52+5=30. 
 Another Logic : The series is 1x2, 2x3, 3x4, 4x5. The next number is
5x6=30. 
 Another Logic : The series is 22-2, 32-3, 42-4, 52-5. The next number is 62-
6=30.

IX. n3 Series : 
Example : 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, ......... . 
Answer : The series is 13, 23, 33, etc. The missing number is 73=343.

X. n3+1 Series : 
Example : 2, 9, 28, 65, 126, 217, 344, ........... 
Answer : The series is 13+1, 23+1, 33+1, etc. The missing number is
83+1=513. 
XI. n3−1 Series : 
Example : 0, 7, 26, 63, 124, ............, 342. 
Answer: The series is 13-1, 23-1, 33-1 etc. The missing number is 63-1=215. 
 
XII. n3+n Series : 
Example : 2, 10, 30, 68, 130, .............., 350. 
Answer : The series is 13+1, 23+2, 33+3 etc .The missing number is
63+6=222. 
 
XIII. n3−n Series : 
Example :0, 6, 24, 60, 120, 210, ..............,   
Answer : The series is 13-1, 23-2, 33-3, etc. The missing number is 73-7=336. 
Another Logic : The series is 0x1x2, 1x2x3, 2x3x4, etc. The missing
number is 6x7x8=336. 
 
XIV. n3+n2 Series : 
Example : 2, 12, 36, 80, 150, ............,  
Answer: The series is 13+12,23+22,33+32etc. The missing number is
63+62=252 
 
XV. n3−n2 Series: 
 Example: 0,4,18,48,100,................., 
Answer :  The series is 13-12,23-22,33-32 etc. The missing number is 63-62=180

XVI. xy, x+y Series:

Example: 48,12,76,13,54,9,32,...............,
Answer :  4+8=12, 7+6=13, 5+4=9 , 3+2=5.

XVII. Factorial Series:

Example: 1,1,2,6,24,120,………..,
Answer : 0!=1, 1!=1, 2!=2, 3!=6, 4!=24, 5!=120, 6!=720
 ALPHA SERIES
1. In following alphabet series , one term missing as shown by question mark
(?). Choose missing term from options.
U, O, I, ?, A
(a)E
(b)C
(c)S
(d)G

Ans: a
The series consists of vowels A, E, I, O, U written in a reverse order.
2. In following alphabet series , one term missing as shown by question mark .
Choose missing term from options.
Y, W, U, S, Q, ?, ?

a)N,J
b)M,L
c)J,R
d)L,M
e)O,M

Ans: e
The series consists of alternate letters in reverse order.
3. Find the missing term.
WFB, TGD, QHG, ?

a)NIJ
b)NIK
c)NJK
d)OIK
e)PJK

Ans: b
First letter: -3, -3, -3
second letter: +1, +1, +1
third letter: +2, +3, +4
4. Find the missing term.
ELFA, GLHA, ILJA, _____, MLNA

a)OLPA
b)KLMA
c)LLMA
d)KLLA

Ans: d
The second and forth letters in the series, L and A, are static. The first and
third letters consist of alphabetical order beginning with the letter E.
 LETTER SERIES
Q1. Complete the series.
ba_ba_bac_acb_cbac

A)aacb
B)bbca
C)ccba
D)cbac
E)None of these

Ans: c
Q2. n_mnp_ _ p_ npmn_ mnp

a) pmnpm
b) pmnpp
c) pmnmp
d) pnpmn
e) Pppmn

Ans: c
The block of letters npm has been repeated.
 NUMBER AND LETTER ANALOGY
1. 3 : 12 :: 5 : ?

a)25
b)35
c)30
d)15
Ans: c

3 (32)+3 12
5 (52)+5 30
2. 14 : 9 :: 26 : ?

a)12
b)13
c)31
d)15

Ans: D

14 = (2 x 9 - 4)
26 = (2 x 15 - 4)
? = 15
3. MO : 13 11 :: RT : ?

a)19 17
b)8 6
c)8 10
d)16 18

Ans: b
Number the letters in reverse order. Then -1 the respective number.
 SOLVED QUESTIONS
1. Which number would replace question mark
in the series
7, 12, 19, ?, 39.
a)29
b)28
c)26
d)24
 SOLUTION
Clearly, the given sequence follows the pattern :
+ 5, +7, +9 ... i.e.,
7 + 5 = 12,
12 + 7=19
Missing number = 19 + 9 = 28.
Hence, the answer is (b).
2. Which is the number that comes next in the sequence :

0 6 24 60 120 210 ?

a) 240
b) 290
c) 336
d) 504
 SOLUTION
Clearly, the given series is
l3 - 1, 23 - 2, 3^3 - 3,….., 43 – 4, 53 - 5

Next number = 73 - 7 = 343 - 7 = 336.

Hence, the answer is (c).
3. Which is the number that comes next in the following
sequence ?

4, 6, 12, 14, 28, 30, (?)

a) 32
b) 60
c) 62
d) 64
 SOLUTION
The given sequence is a combination of two series :
I. 4. 12, 28, ( ) and
II. 6. 14, 30.
Now, the pattern followed in each of the above two series is :
+ 8, + 16. + 32
So. missing number = (28 + 32) = 60.
Hence, the answer is (b).
4. Look at this series:

14, 28, 20, 40, 32, 64, ...

What number should come next?

A. 52
B. 56
C. 96
D. 128
 SOLUTION

Answer: Option B
Explanation:
This is an alternating multiplication and subtracting series: First, multiply by
2 and then subtract 8.
5. Newspaper : Press : : Cloth : ?

a) Tailor
(b) Textile
(c) Fibre
(d) Factory
(e) Mill
 SOLUTION
Answer: Option E
Explanation:
Newspaper is printed in Press and Cloth is manufactured in Mill.
6. Cup is to coffee as bowl is to

A. Dish
B. Soup
C. Spoon
D. food
 SOLUTION
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Coffee goes into a cup and soup goes into a bowl. Choices a and c are
incorrect because they are other utensils. The answer is not choice d because
the word food is too general.
7. Which word does NOT belong with the
others?

A. tire
B. steering wheel
C. engine
D. car
 SOLUTION

Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Tire, steering wheel, and engine are all parts of a car.
 ARITHMETIC
AND
GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION
 ARITHMETIC PROGRESSION

An arithmetic progression is a sequence of numbers in which

each term is derived from the preceding term by adding or
subtracting a fixed number called the common difference
"d".

The general form of an Arithmetic Progression is a, a + d, a

+ 2d, a + 3d and so on.

The nth term of an AP series is Tn = a + (n - 1) d,

where Tn = nth term and a = first term. Here d = common

difference = Tn - Tn-1.
Sum of first n terms of an AP:

Tn = Sn - Sn-1 , where Tn = nth term

 AM (Arithmetic mean)
When three quantities are in AP, the middle one is called as the
arithmetic mean of the other two. If a, b and c are three terms
in AP then
b = (a+c)/2

For example, 3,7,11,15,19 is an Arithmetic Progression in

which
constant difference= 7-3 = 11-7 = 15-11 = 4, and first term = 3
 GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION
A geometric progression is a sequence in which each term is
derived by multiplying or dividing the preceding term by a
fixed number called the common ratio.

The nth term of a GP series is

 Sum of first n terms of a GP:

 The sum of infinite terms of a GP series

GM (Geometric Mean)
When three quantities are in GP, the middle one is called as
the geometric mean of the other two.

If a, b are three quantities in GP and geometric mean of a

and b i.e.
=√ab
1. Find 16th term in the series 7, 13, 19,
25, ...
 SOLUTION

a=7
d = 13 – 7 = 6

16th term, t16 = a + (n-1)d

= 7 + (16 – 1)6 = 7 + 90 = 97
2. Find the sum of the series
32, 16, 8, 4, … upto infinity.
 SOLUTION

First term, a = 32
Common ratio, r = 16 / 32 = 8 / 16 = 4 / 8 = 1 /
2 = 0.5

We know that for an infinite GP, Sum of terms =

a / (1 – r)

Sum of terms of the GP = 32 / (1 – 0.5)

= 32 / 0.5 = 64
3. The first term of an AP is 3 and the last
term is 17. If the sum of all terms is 150,
what is the 5th term?

A.5
B.7
C.9
D.11
 SOLUTION

The sum of all terms is (n/2)(a + l) = 150.

This gives us n = 15.
The 15th term is (a + 14d) = 17.
Substituting for a, we get d = 1.
Therefore, the 5th term is (a + 4d) = 7.
 PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. Find the next number in the series:

5, 45, 405, 3645,?

a) 38965
b) 40592
c) 30852
d) 32805
2. Find the number of terms in the series 8,
12, 16, . . .72

a) 20
b) 18
c) 17
d) 10
3. Find 1+1/2+1/4+ ... up to 5 terms

a) 31/16
b) 33/16
c) 31/15
d) 23/16
4. Find the 10th term in the series 2, 4, 8,
16, ...

a) 512
b) 1296
c) 1024
d) 2048