Logical Series

Questions on number series are prevalent in most of the management aptitude exams. These questions are based on numerical sequences that follow a logical rule/ pattern based on elementary arithmetic concepts. A particular series is given from which the pattern must be analyzed. You are then asked to predict the next number in the sequence following the same rule.

The difficulty level of these questions varies. For example, the logical rule behind the sequence(s) sticks out and is easy to recognize in a less trivial sequence.

Thus, the logical rule is less significant and much harder to recognize. When this occurs, the question demands more attention and creativity in deciphering the missing term.

General Characteristics of Number Series Questions

Number sequences questions usually consist of four to seven visible numbers along with a single missing number or, depending on the sequence's complexity level, 2 or 3 missing numbers.

All term in the sequence meets a specific logical rule which needs to be recognized in order to find the missing terms.

Levels of Complexity

The difficulty level of number sequence questions may increase in several ways:

• The rule behind the sequence becomes less significant.

• Loger sequence:

  usually, the longer the sequence, the more complex the question is.

• The missing term appears early early in the sequence rather than a later:

  This give you less initial information to discern the hidden rule behind the sequence.

• More then 1 number missing in a sequence:

  if true, this adds a layer of difficulty to your examination – again, less information (i.e. less known items in the sequence) makes it harder for you to recognise the sequence’s rule.
• A combination of two alternating series

• A logical rule that hides in the difference between items:

  when the rule is not hidden directly within the visible sequence, rather it is formed between the difference of each adjacent number it is usualy less apparent to most people.