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StudyCopter Study Material for SBI Exam

Content
A series is a sequence of characters expressed in a particular manner. These characters could be letters of alphabet, numbers etc.

The Contents in this section are not tough but can be very tricky and sometimes require a lot of thinking. Although this section also involves numbers,
doesn't mean that it requires a lot of calculations or mathematical tools and norms. The main objective is to find a pattern amongst the given numbers
and then finally deduce the answer.

I. Number Series

A number series is a sequence of numbers where the sequence is obtained by some particular pre-defined rule and by applying that rule it is possible
to find out the next term of the series.

Types of Number Series

1. Difference Series: Here, the difference can be further classified to 2 categories:

(a) Number Series with a constant difference

Example 1: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, ...

Here, the pattern observed is:

(b) Number series with increasing or decreasing difference

Example 1: 2, 4, 7, 11, 16, 22

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The pattern observed is :

Example 2: 100, 125, 145, 160, 170

The pattern observed is:

2. Squares/Cube Series

(a) Square's Series: Here, all the terms of the series are related to the square of numbers.

Example 1: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25

Here, the pattern is:

1491625↓↓↓↓↓ 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 2

This could also come in combination with the difference series as per the example below.

Example 2: 0, 3, 8, 15, 24

Here, the pattern observed is:

0381524↓↓↓↓↓ 1 2−1 2 2−1 3 2−1 4 2−1 5 2−1

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Note: Squares of Some Header Numbers Memorize these for your exam
12 = 1 52 = 25 92 = 81 132 = 169 172 = 289
22 = 4 62 = 36 102 = 100 142 = 196 182 = 324
32 = 9 72 = 49 112 = 121 152 = 225 192 = 361
42 = 16 82 = 64 122 = 144 162 = 256 202 = 400

(b) Cube's Series: Here, the terms of the series are related to the cubes of the numbers

Example 1: 1, 8, 27, 64, 125

Here, the pattern observed is:

182764125↓↓↓↓↓ 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3

This could be also come in combination with the difference series see the example below.

Example 2: 0, 5, 22, 57, 116

The pattern observed is:

052257116↓↓↓↓↓ 1 3−1 2 3−3 3 3−5 4 3−7 5 3−9

Note: Cubes of Some Header Numbers Memorize these for your exam.
13 = 1 53 = 125 93 = 729 133 = 2197 173 = 4913
23 = 8 63 = 216 103 = 1000 143 = 2744 183 = 5832
33 = 27 73 = 343 113 = 1331 153 = 3375 193 = 6859
43 = 64 83 = 512 123 = 1728 163 = 4096 203 = 8000

(c) Product Series: In this type of series, each term is multiplied by a fixed number or certain pattern to get the next number.

Example 1: 3, 12, 48, 192, 768

Here, the pattern observed is:

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(d) Division Series: In this type of series, each term is divided by a fixed number or certain pattern to get the next number.

Example 2: 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1

Here, the pattern observed is:

(e) Combination Series: In this type of series, more than one series are combined together in a pattern.

Example 3: 64, 2, 16, 4, 4, 8, 1

Here, the series can be further split into 2 series.

Series 1,

Series II,

In this type of Contents a series is given and the candidate is asked to insert a suitable element in the blank provided. Most of the series involve some
mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, square, cube, cube root etc. Again, the calculation part is trivial but the problem is
to find the pattern amongst the numbers.

Let’s take an example:

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Example 1: Which is the next term in the series?

1, 5, 9, 13, ?

(A) 14

(B) 12

(C) 15

(D) 16

(E) 17

Solution: If we look carefully, we find that the difference between any two consecutive numbers is four. Thus, continuing in this manner, we get the
next term as
13 + 4 = 17
Thus, the next term in the series is 17.

Thus, the correct answer is (E).

Let's take another example:

Example 2: Which is the next term in the series?

4, 9, 24, 69, ?

(A) 200

(B) 204

(C) 206

(D) 304

(E) None of these

Solution:In this Content we see that if we multiply the first number with 3 and then subtract 3 from the product, we get the next term,
(3 × 4) − 3 = 9
(3 × 9) − 3 = 24
(3 × 24) − 3 = 69

Therefore, the next term in the series is (3 × 69) − 3 = 204.

The correct answer is (B).

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(2). Wrong Number Series

In these type of Contents, just like the previous series, one needs to find the pattern amongst the numbers and then delete the number that doesn't
follow the pattern as followed by the other numbers.

Let us take an example:

Example 1: Delete the odd term in the following series.

4, 10, 22, 42, 94

(A) 10

(B) 22

(C) 42

(D) 94

(E) None of these

Solution: Basically we are doubling the number to be added.

So,
6 × 2 = 12
12 × 2 = 24
24 × 2 = 48 and so on.

The series is increasing as,

4 + 6 = 10
10 + 12 = 22
22 + 24 = 46
46 + 28 = 94 and so on.

Thus, the third term should be 46. So, the term in the given series is incorrect.

So, the correct answer is (C).

You see that these Contents can be really tricky even though they dont involve a lot of calculation.

(3). Combination of Two Series/ Alternating Series

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Sometimes the Content may consist of two series one of which is complete and the other incomplete. We have to study and then have to detect the
pattern, and then this pattern is to be applied to the incomplete series. Let us understand this case with an example.

Example 1: Each of the following Contents has two series, both of them are formed on a similar pattern. Understand the pattern followed by the first
series and complete the second one. Based on that, answer the Contents that follow.

Series I:12,30,120,460,1363,2730Series II:16 N1 N2 N3 N4 N5

What will come in place of N4 ?

(A) 54

(B) 540

(C) 240

(D) 2808

(E) None of these

Solution: The given series is based on the following pattern

30 = (12 × 6) − (7 × 6)
120 = (30 × 5) − (6 × 5)
460 = (120 × 4) − (5 × 4)
1368 = (460 × 3) − (4 × 3)
2730 = (1368 × 2) − (3 × 2)

According to the Content both the series follow the same pattern, so we get
(N1) = (16 × 6) − (7 × 6) = 54
(N2) = (54 × 5) − (6 × 5) = 240
(N3) = (240 × 4) − (5 × 4) = 940
(N4) = (940 × 3) − (4 × 3) = 2808

Hence, the number is 2808.

Alphabet Series

Content
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Introduction

An alphabet series contains a sequence of English alphabet which follow a certain pattern throughout the series. The Contents based on English
alphabet generally harp on the relative positions of an alphabet. Therefore, you should remember the position (number) of each alphabet both from
left to right and from right to left.

If you know the position of the alphabet from left to right then the position of that alphabet from right to left can be determined by subtracting that
position number from 27. For example, if we count from left to right, the position of letter E is fifth in English alphabet. Therefore, its position from
right to left would be 27 − 5 = 22nd.

Note: NORMAL ALPHABETICAL PATTERN

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Note: REVERSE ALPHABETICAL PATTERN
Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N
26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14

M L K J I H G F E D C B A
13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Types of Contents asked on the exam

(1). Completing the series

In this type of Content, a series of alphabet is given in which all the terms follow a certain rule. The candidate is required to recognize this rule and
complete the series.

Example 1: In the following alphabet series one term is marked by a (?). Choose the missing term out of the given alternatives.

ELFA, GLHA, ILJA, ?, MLNA

(A) KLMA

(B) KLLA

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(C) OLPA

(D) LLMA

(E) FKKG

Solution: The pattern of the series is as follows:

We pick the first letter of each term in the series and find a pattern between them,

E→+2G→+2I→+2K→+2M

We pick the second letter of each term in the series and find a pattern between them,

L→+0L→+0L→+0L→+0L

We pick the third letter of each term in the series and find a pattern between them,

F→+2H→+2J→+2L→+2N

Note: Now we know that the first 3 letters are KLL, so we can determine the answer to be KLLA even without solving for the last letter.

We pick the fourth letter of each term in the series and find a pattern between them,

A→+0A→+0A→+0A→+0A

Hence, the missing term is KLLA.

The correct answer is (B).

Example 2: In the following alphabet series, few letters have been shown by a Content mark (?). Choose the missing terms from the given
alternatives.

A, B, N, C, D, O, E, F, P, ?, ?, ?

(A) G, H, L

(B) J, K, L

(C) G, H, J

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(D) G, H, Q

(E) J, M, L

Solution: The given series can be divided into two series.

Series I. A, B, C, D, E, F, ?, ?
Series II. N, O, P, ?

Thus, series I has two letters missing and series II has one letter missing.

The missing terms in Series I are G and H, while the missing term in series II is Q. Thus, the correct option is G, H, Q.

So, the correct answer is (D).

(2). Completing the sets of letters

In these type of Contents, a set of letters is replaced four or five times, or three or more different sets of letters are given with blank spaces in between
them. These groups of letters follow a specific pattern. The candidate is required to identify this pattern and choose the set of letters which when
sequentially placed at the gaps in the given letter series shall complete it.

Example 1: Which one set of letters when sequentially placed at the gaps in the given letter series shall complete it ?

l__ b__ub__ubt__blu__tub

(A) tulbu

(B) butlu

(C) utlub

(D) ubtlu

(E) ltubu

Solution: The series is formed with a repetation of 'lubtub'.

lubtub/lubtub/lubtub

Hence, the correct option is utlub.

The correct answer is (C).

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Example 2: Which of the following groups of alphabet should replace the blank spaces so that the group of alphabet, given in bold. follow a logical
pattern from the preceding and the following group of alphabet substitute complete the series ?

bw__yza, dstuv__, __opqre

(A) x, e, d

(B) v, e, f

(C) x, e, n

(D) x, c, d

(E) x, c, f

Solution: The pattern followed by the given sets of letters is:

Observing the three sets, we get that the letter x is missing from the first set, c is missing from the second set and f is missing from the third set.
Therefore, the correct option is x, c, f.

The correct answer is (E).

Content
In this type of Contents, there is a combination of letters and numerals which follows a certain pattern.

Generally, there are two types of mixed series :

a. Missing letter-number group

b. Wrong letter-number group

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Note: Such Contents are usually hard and the candidates should very careful while attemping such a Contents.

Missing letter-number group

Example 1: What should be placed instead of Contents mark(?) in the following series?

F2, ?, D8, C16, B32

(A) E4

(B) G6

(C) E8

(D) E12

(E) E6

Solution: The observed pattern is:-

Hence, here each letter is reduced by 1(one) whereas each number is multiplied by 2.

The number in the Content mark is:

F − 1 = E (by subtracts 1 from F)

2 × 2 = 4 (by multiplying 2 by 2)

E(2 × 2) = E4.

Hence, the correct answer is (A).

Wrong letter-number group

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Example 2: Find the odd term from the given series:

Q1F, S2E, V6D, W21C, Y88B

(A) Q1F

(B) V6D

(C) W21C

(D) Y88B

(E) None of these

Solution: The pattern observed is:

Q → +2 S → +2 1 → ×1+1 2 → ×2+2 F → −1 E → −1 V 6 D → +2 W → +2 Y → ×3+3 21 → ×4+4 88 → −1 C → −1 B

Hence, the wrong term is V6D.

The correct answer is (B).

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