Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: 9K
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question involves an alphanumeric series, where each term combines a number and a letter: 5G, 6H, 7I, 8J, ?. We must extend the pattern. Such series require candidates to track changes separately in the numeric and alphabetic components, a common skill tested in many reasoning examinations.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
We examine the numerical part and the letter part separately. For the numbers we check whether the difference between consecutive terms is constant. For the letters we check whether they follow alphabetical order with a specific step size. Once we identify both patterns, we combine the results to choose the correct answer term that satisfies both constraints simultaneously.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Look at the numeric part: 5, 6, 7, 8. This is a simple sequence increasing by 1 each time.Step 2: The next number after 8, following the same pattern, should be 9.Step 3: Now analyse the letter part: G, H, I, J. These correspond to positions 7, 8, 9, and 10 in the English alphabet.Step 4: The pattern is an increase of 1 in letter position each time: G to H, H to I, I to J.Step 5: The next letter after J (position 10) is K (position 11).Step 6: Combining both findings, the next term in the series should be 9K.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify the complete extension: 5G, 6H, 7I, 8J, 9K. Each step increments the number by 1 (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and the letter by 1 (G, H, I, J, K). Checking each option shows that only 9K adheres to both these patterns; the other numerical options 10, 12, or 14 disrupt the simple numeric progression.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The options 10K and 12K break the consecutive number pattern, which clearly advances one by one. The option 14K deviates even further and would jump too far from 8. Since the numeric sequence is strictly incremental by one, none of these alternatives can be correct despite having the letter K.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates focus only on the letters and ignore the numeric pattern, or they assume both parts must change with the same step size. Others may quickly select 10K simply because 10 is the next round looking number, but this does not match the strict numerical pattern. Analysing number and letter components separately prevents such mistakes.
Final Answer:
The correct term that completes the series is 9K.
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