What is the next number in the series given below
2 5 9 14 20

Options

A. 25
B. 26
C. 27
D. 28

Answer

To find the next number in the series 2, 5, 9, 14, 20, we can follow these steps:

1. **Identify the Series**: The given series is 2, 5, 9, 14, 20.

2. **Calculate the Differences**:
- First, we find the differences between consecutive terms:
- 5 - 2 = 3
- 9 - 5 = 4
- 14 - 9 = 5
- 20 - 14 = 6

So, the differences are: 3, 4, 5, 6.

3. **Observe the Pattern in Differences**:
- The differences themselves form a sequence: 3, 4, 5, 6.
- We can see that the differences are increasing by 1 each time.

4. **Predict the Next Difference**:
- Following the pattern, the next difference should be 7 (since 6 + 1 = 7).

5. **Calculate the Next Number**:
- Now, we add this next difference to the last number in the series:
- 20 + 7 = 27.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the next number in the series is **27**.