Select the letter from among the given options that can replace the…
2022
Select the letter from among the given options that can replace the question-mark (?) in the following series.
P, N, J, H, ?
- A.
D
- B.
B
- C.
E
- D.
C
Attempted by 5 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Concept: In an alphabet letter series, convert each letter to its position in the English alphabet (A = 1, B = 2, ... Z = 26) and look for a repeating pattern in the gap between consecutive positions.
Application:
Convert each letter to its alphabet position: P = 16, N = 14, J = 10, H = 8.
Find the gap between each consecutive pair: P to N = 16 - 14 = 2; N to J = 14 - 10 = 4; J to H = 10 - 8 = 2.
The gaps repeat as 2, 4, 2, 4, ..., so the gap from H to the missing term must be 4.
Subtract that gap from H's position: 8 - 4 = 4, and position 4 is the letter D.
Cross-check: Split the series into two interleaved chains formed by alternate terms - (P, J, missing term) and (N, H). In the first chain, P(16) to J(10) is a drop of 6 positions, so continuing that same drop from J(10) gives 10 - 6 = 4, confirming D independently.
So the missing letter is D.