5, 11, 8, 14, 11, ? — Aptitude Question
5, 11, 8, 14, 11, ?: Find the next term: 5, 11, 8, 14, 11, ? Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Number & Letter Series
- Section: Logical Reasoning
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time target: 60 seconds
Question
Find the next term:
5, 11, 8, 14, 11, ?
Options
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: C. 17
Worked solution
- Odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th): 5, 8, 11 — each +3.
- Even positions (2nd, 4th, 6th): 11, 14, … — also +3, so the sixth term is 14 + 3 = 17.
Answer: 17.
The idea
If the differences alternate between two values, split the series into odd and even positions and solve each separately.
Shortcut. The gaps alternate +6 and −3, and the sixth term follows a −3, so it takes +6: 11 + 6 = 17.
Common trap. 18 — reading the upward jumps as growing (+6, then +7); they stay at +6, while each alternate series climbs by a steady 3.