Start off with these simple series of numbers. Number series questions measure your ability to reason without words. To answer these questions, you must determine the pattern of the numbers in each series before you will be able to choose which number comes next. These
questions involve only simple arithmetic. Although most number series items progress by adding or subtracting, some questions involve simple multiplication
or division. In each series, look for the degree and direction of change between the numbers. In other words, do the numbers increase or decrease, and by how much?

1. Look at this series: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, . . . What number
should come next?
a. 11
b. 12
c. 13
d. 14
Answer and Reason : (b.) This is a simple addition series. Each number
increases by 2. 

2. Look at this series: 58, 52, 46, 40, 34, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 26
b. 28
c. 30
d. 32
Answer and Reason : (b.) This is a simple subtraction series. Each number is 6 less than the previous number.

3. Look at this series: 40, 40, 47, 47, 54, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 40
b. 44
c. 54
d. 61
Answer and Reason : (c.) This is an alternation with repetition series in which each number repeats itself and then increases by 7.

4. Look at this series: 544, 509, 474, 439, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 404
b. 414
c. 420
d. 445
Answer and Reason : (a.) This is a simple subtraction series. Each number is 35 less than the previous number.

5. Look at this series: 201, 202, 204, 207, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 205
b. 208
c. 210
d. 211
Answer and Reason : (d.) In this addition series, 1 is added to the first number; 2 is added to the second number; 3 is added to the third number; and so forth.

6. Look at this series: 8, 22, 8, 28, 8, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 9
b. 29
c. 32
d. 34
Answer and Reason : (d.) This is a simple addition series with a random number, 8, interpolated as every other number. In the series, 6 is added to each number except 8, to arrive at the next number.

7. Look at this series: 80, 10, 70, 15, 60, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 20
b. 25
c. 30
d. 50
Answer and Reason : (a.) This is an alternating addition and subtraction series. In the first pattern, 10 is subtracted from each number to arrive at the next. In the second, 5 is added to each number to arrive at the next.

8. Look at this series: 36, 34, 30, 28, 24, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 20
b. 22
c. 23
d. 26
Answer and Reason : (b.) This is an alternating number subtraction series. First, 2 is subtracted, then 4, then 2, and so on.


9. Look at this series: 22, 21, 23, 22, 24, 23, . . .
What number should come next?
a. 22
b. 24
c. 25
d. 26
Answer and Reason : (c.) In this simple alternating subtraction and addition series; 1 is subtracted, then 2 is added, and so on.


10. Look at this series: 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, . . . What
number should come next?
a. 7
b. 10
c. 14
d. 15

Answer and Reason : (d.) This alternating addition series begins with 3; then 1 is added to give 4; then 3 is added to give 7; then 1 is added, and so on.