Sequence & Series - Shortcuts
B.Com Hons. (DU)
M.Com (DU)
CAT 2016 – 96.5 %ile
AIR 3 – UGC NET
Commerce,
December 2018
SSC CGL 2017 – Rank 60
Assistant Audit Officer
with CAG
Understanding the Concept & Shortcuts
1. Learn squares upto 50
2. Learn cubes upto 25
3. Learn prime numbers atleast upto 100
4. Learn tables
5. Learn positions of alphabets by heart, i.e. A=1, B=2, Z=26,
etc. Also you can derive their positions in reverse
alphabetical order i.e. Z=1, Y=2, A=26, etc.
Understanding the Concept & Shortcuts
1. If 1st order difference is constant, then general term of the
series will be a linear equation.
e.g. 8, 16, 24, 32, 40 general term = 8n
2. If 2nd order difference is constant, then general term of the
series will be a quadratic equation.
e.g. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, 37 general term = n2 + 1
3. If 3rd order difference is constant, then general term of the
series will be a cubic equation.
e.g. 2, 12, 36, 80, 150, 252 general term = n3 + n2
Q.1) Select the series in which the letters skipped in between
adjacent letters do not decrease in order
[a] GWIQU
[b] EQZFI
[c] MGVFK
[d] AIOSU
[e] PJXHM
Answer - E
Q.2) Consider the below series:
12azMNLrpuw3UFOKP5hs9SHV4ftRIEzq2
How many capital letters are either followed by or preceded by
the same positioned Capital letter of English alphabet from the
other end?
[a] 8
[b] 10
[c] 6
[d] 7
[e] 9
Answer - B
Q.3) Identify the wrong term in the given series:
9,14, 25, 38, 50, 86, 153, 230
[a] 14
[b] 9
[c] 50
[d] 153
[e] 86
Answer - C
Q.4) 642, 634, 661, 597, 722, ?
[a] 506
[b] 616
[c] 496
[d] 576
[e] 636
Answer - A
Q.5) 12, 30, 120, 460, 1368, ?
[a] 2642
[b] 2808
[c] 1988
[d] 2730
[e] 1600
Answer - D
Q.6) Consider the below series:
2, 4, 12, 17, 119, 128
One of the above terms is wrong in the above series. Find
out that wrong number and form a new series starting with
that wrong number, using the pattern in the above series.
What will be the fifth term of this new formed series?
[a] 118
[b] 107
[c] 14
[d] 98
[e] None of the above
Answer - D
Directions Q.7-8): Answer the questions based on the
sequence of numbers, alphabets and symbols given:
P5WRQ#Z$%A4*Y3%H9S@T8
There are certain operations that need to be performed and
them mark your answer accordingly.
i. If each alphabet from A-Z is represented by number 1-26
respectively, then only odd number in the series is
replaced by the alphabet as per its represented number.
ii. If each letter in A-Z alphabetical series is represented by
number 1-26 respectively, then only 9 consecutive letters
staring from the 12th letter of A-Z alphabetical series is
replaced by the second digit of its represented number
and other letters will remain the same.
Q.7) How many alphabets are there in the series which are
followed by a number?
[a] Two
[b] Three
[c] Four
[d] Five
[e] Six
Answer - B
Q.8) How many numbers are there in the series which are
followed by a symbol?
[a] One
[b] two
[c] three
[d] four
[e] five
Answer - C
Q.9) If its is possible to make a meaningful English word
with the seventh, tenth and fourth letters of the word
‘ARISTOPATHOLOGY’ and the only vowel from the word
‘POT’, the second letter of that word is your answer. If
more than one English word can be formed, ‘X’ is your
answer. If no such word can be formed, then ‘Y’ is your
answer.
[a] O
[b] S
[c] H
[d] X
[e] Y
Answer - D
Q.10) In the below question, a number series is given. After
the series, a number is given followed by (A), (B), (C), (D)
and (E). You have to complete the series starting with the
number given, following the sequence of the original series
and answer the question that follow the series.
75 38 39 60 122 307.5
125 (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
What will come in place of (C)?
[a] 97.5
[b] 64
[c] 197
[d] 102.5
[e] 85
Answer - A
