What will come in place of question mark (?) in the given number series?
852 285 96 33 12 ?

Options

A. 6
B. 8
C. 3
D. 5

Answer

To solve the given number series: 852, 285, 96, 33, 12, ?, we need to identify the pattern in the series.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the first number (852):**
- We start with the number 852.

2. **Divide 852 by 3:**
- \( 852 \div 3 = 284 \)

3. **Add 1 to the result:**
- \( 284 + 1 = 285 \)
- This gives us the next number in the series, which is 285.

4. **Now take the number 285:**
- We divide 285 by 3.
- \( 285 \div 3 = 95 \)

5. **Add 1 to the result:**
- \( 95 + 1 = 96 \)
- This gives us the next number in the series, which is 96.

6. **Next, take the number 96:**
- We divide 96 by 3.
- \( 96 \div 3 = 32 \)

7. **Add 1 to the result:**
- \( 32 + 1 = 33 \)
- This gives us the next number in the series, which is 33.

8. **Now take the number 33:**
- We divide 33 by 3.
- \( 33 \div 3 = 11 \)

9. **Add 1 to the result:**
- \( 11 + 1 = 12 \)
- This gives us the next number in the series, which is 12.

10. **Finally, take the number 12:**
- We divide 12 by 3.
- \( 12 \div 3 = 4 \)

11. **Add 1 to the result:**
- \( 4 + 1 = 5 \)
- This gives us the value that will replace the question mark (?).

### Conclusion:
The number that comes in place of the question mark (?) is **5**.