Question

Find the missing number: 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ?

• A. 35
• B. 36
• C. 37
• D. 38

Hint:

Check differences between terms to identify number series patterns.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Analyze Term Differences
Calculate the differences between consecutive numbers:
5 - 2 = 3
10 - 5 = 5
17 - 10 = 7
26 - 17 = 9

Step 2: Recognize Difference Progression
Observe that the differences increase by 2 each time: 3, 5, 7, 9.

Step 3: Determine Next Difference
The subsequent difference in this arithmetic progression is 9 + 2 = 11.

Step 4: Compute Missing Term
Add the next difference to the last known term: 26 + 11 = 37.

Step 5: Verify Solution Against Options
The calculated missing number is 37. Option (C) matches this value. Option (A) is 35, which is inconsistent with the identified pattern. Therefore, the correct answer is (C) 37.