Question

What should come in place of question mark (?) in the following number/alphabetic series?
X U S P N K ?

• A. I
• B. M
• C. L
• D. Q

Hint:

For alphabetic series, quickly converting letters to their numerical positions often reveals a simple arithmetic or geometric pattern that is otherwise hard to spot.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
To solve an alphabet series, assign numerical values to each letter based on their position in the English alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26) and look for a mathematical pattern.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Analyze the gaps between consecutive terms in the series.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The given series is: X, U, S, P, N, K, ?
Numerical values of the letters:
X \( \rightarrow \) 24
U \( \rightarrow \) 21 (Gap: \( 24 - 3 = 21 \))
S \( \rightarrow \) 19 (Gap: \( 21 - 2 = 19 \))
P \( \rightarrow \) 16 (Gap: \( 19 - 3 = 16 \))
N \( \rightarrow \) 14 (Gap: \( 16 - 2 = 14 \))
K \( \rightarrow \) 11 (Gap: \( 14 - 3 = 11 \))
The pattern of subtraction is alternate: \( -3, -2, -3, -2, -3 \).
The next gap should be \( -2 \).
Target value \( = 11 - 2 = 9 \).
The 9th letter of the alphabet is I.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The letter that should come in place of the question mark is I.