Find the wrong number in the following series :
135, 226, 353, 552, 739

Question

Find the wrong number in the following series : 
135, 226, 353, 552, 739

Accepted Answer

To determine why Option 3 (552) is the correct answer as the wrong number in the series, let's analyze the given sequence: 135, 226, 353, 552, 739.

1. **Explanation for Option 3 (552) as the Correct Answer:**
   - The series appears to be increasing, and we need to identify a pattern or rule that applies to most of the numbers but not to 552.
   - Let's examine the differences between consecutive numbers:
     - 226 - 135 = 91
     - 353 - 226 = 127
     - 552 - 353 = 199
     - 739 - 552 = 187
   - The differences between the numbers do not follow a consistent pattern, suggesting that one of the numbers might be incorrect.
   - If we look at the differences between the numbers, we notice that 199 (the difference between 552 and 353) is an outlier compared to the other differences (91, 127, and 187).
   - This inconsistency indicates that 552 does not fit well within the series, supporting the conclusion that it is the wrong number.

2. **Explanation for Why Each of the Other Options is Incorrect:**
   - **Option 1 (353):** 
     - The difference between 353 and the previous number, 226, is 127, which is consistent with a potential pattern of increasing differences. Therefore, 353 fits well within the series.
   - **Option 2 (226):**
     - The difference between 226 and the previous number, 135, is 91. This difference is reasonable and does not stand out as an anomaly, suggesting that 226 is correctly placed in the series.
   - **Option 4 (739):**
     - The difference between 739 and the previous number, 552, is 187. While this difference is larger than the initial differences, it does not deviate as significantly as the difference involving 552. Thus, 739 is consistent with the series' progression.

In conclusion, the number 552 is identified as the wrong number in the series due to the inconsistency in the differences between consecutive numbers, specifically the outlier difference of 199. This supports Option 3 as the correct answer.