The missing number in the sequence 2, 15, 41, 80, 132, ?, is:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → 197
When a series grows by uneven steps, look at the difference between each pair of terms. Here the differences are the multiples of 13 in order:
\(15-2=13=13\times1\)
\(41-15=26=13\times2\)
\(80-41=39=13\times3\)
\(132-80=52=13\times4\)
The next difference is \(13\times5=65\), so the missing number is \(132+65=197\).