Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: 47U15
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question tests pattern recognition in an alphanumeric series. Each term has a left number, a middle letter and a right number. To solve the problem, we must analyse how each component changes from one term to the next and then use that logic to find the missing term that continues the sequence correctly.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
To understand such mixed series, it is best to separate the pattern into three parts: the left numbers, the middle letters and the right numbers. We then look for arithmetic progressions, patterns in differences or consistent alphabetical shifts. The correct option must satisfy all three component patterns simultaneously, not just one of them.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Observe the left numbers: 2, 7, 14, 23, 34, ?
2. Find their differences: 7 - 2 = 5, 14 - 7 = 7, 23 - 14 = 9, 34 - 23 = 11.
3. The differences are 5, 7, 9, 11 which form an increasing sequence of odd numbers, each time adding 2.
4. The next difference should be 13, so the next left number = 34 + 13 = 47.
5. Now examine the middle letters: Z, Y, X, W, V, ?
6. In the alphabet, their positions are Z(26), Y(25), X(24), W(23), V(22). The sequence is moving one step backward each time.
7. After V, moving one step backward gives U, so the missing middle letter is U.
8. Look at the right numbers: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, ?
9. These are consecutive odd numbers, each increasing by 2.
10. After 13, the next odd number is 15, so the right number in the missing term must be 15.
11. Combining the three components, the missing term is 47U15.
Verification / Alternative check:
Check that every component works with the same rules throughout the series.
Left numbers: 2, 7, 14, 23, 34, 47 use differences 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 which is a simple and consistent odd number pattern.
Letters: Z, Y, X, W, V, U are strictly in reverse alphabetical order, each step moving back by one letter.
Right numbers: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 form a straightforward sequence of consecutive odd numbers.
Since all three independent patterns are satisfied by 47U15, the option is fully consistent.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Students often focus only on one part of an alphanumeric term, for example only the middle letter, and ignore the numbers. Another common mistake is to assume a constant difference across the whole number sequence without checking whether the differences themselves follow a pattern. It is also easy to miss that the right numbers are consecutive odd numbers, not arbitrary values, which can lead to choosing a partially correct option that fails one of the patterns.
Final Answer:
The term that correctly completes the alphanumeric series is 47U15.
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