What would be the next number in the series?

8, 13, 18, 23,?

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer -2019 (Shift -1)

Explanation

The series presented is an arithmetic progression, where each term is found by adding a constant value to the one before it.
To identify the pattern, calculate the difference between consecutive terms: 13 - 8 = 5; 18 - 13 = 5; 23 - 18 = 5.
The constant difference (common difference) is 5.
To find the next term in the series, add the common difference to the last term.
Calculation: 23 + 5 = 28.

Option A: Selecting 29 would mean the difference is 6 (29 - 23), which breaks the established pattern of adding 5.
Option B: Selecting 26 implies a difference of 3 (26 - 23). This is inconsistent with the series' constant difference of 5.
Option D: Choosing 27 suggests a difference of 4 (27 - 23), which does not follow the consistent pattern of adding 5.

Visual 1: Flowchart: A visual flowchart showing the progression: 8 → (+5) → 13 → (+5) → 18 → (+5) → 23 → (+5) → 28. This helps to clearly illustrate the step-by-step logic of the series.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Number Series - Arithmetic Progression as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While this is a general aptitude question, the underlying skill of pattern recognition is crucial in nursing.
Nurses constantly monitor patient data like vital signs, lab results, and fluid balance charts. Identifying trends and patterns (e.g., a steady increase in heart rate or decrease in urine output) is essential for early detection of patient deterioration.
This logical reasoning helps in making timely clinical decisions and anticipating patient needs.

How to Approach the Question

First, carefully examine the given series of numbers: 8, 13, 18, 23.
Calculate the difference between the first two numbers: 13 - 8 = 5.
Calculate the difference between the next pairs of numbers to see if a pattern emerges: 18 - 13 = 5; 23 - 18 = 5.
Recognize that there is a constant difference of +5 between each consecutive number.
Apply this rule to the last number in the series to find the missing term: 23 + 5.
The result is 28. Compare this result with the given options to find the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full ESIC Nursing Officer -2019 (Shift -1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.