Find the missing term.
2, 5, 10, 17, ?, 37
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → 26
The differences between the terms are 3, 5, 7, … consecutive odd numbers, so the next difference is 9. Each term is also a square plus 1.
\(2=1^2+1,\ 5=2^2+1,\ 10=3^2+1,\ 17=4^2+1\)
Missing term \(=5^2+1=26\) (that is, \(17+9\))
Next \(=6^2+1=37\), as given