If you saw the puzzle “Which number comes next in the sequence?”, you may have immediately started looking for a simple addition pattern. The sequence is:
2, 6, 12, 20, ?
And the available options are:
A) 24
B) 28
C) 30
D) 32
At first, several answers might look possible. That is what makes this type of brain teaser interesting. The trick is not simply to look at the numbers themselves, but to look at the difference between each number and identify the pattern.
After following the pattern carefully, the correct answer is:
🎯 30
Let’s break it down step by step.
🔍 Step 1: Look at the Difference Between the Numbers
Start with the first two numbers:
2 → 6
To go from 2 to 6, we add:
+4
Now look at the next pair:
6 → 12
Here we add:
+6
Then:
12 → 20
Here we add:
+8
So the sequence can be rewritten like this:
2, 6, 12, 20, ?
And the differences are:
+4, +6, +8, ?
Now we can see something interesting.
The numbers being added are increasing by 2 each time:
4 → 6 → 8 → 10
Therefore, the next number we need to add is:
+10
So:
20 + 10 = 30
That gives us the answer:
✅ 30
🧩 Step 2: Let’s Check the Pattern
A good puzzle solution should always be checked rather than simply guessed.
Let’s start again:
2 + 4 = 6
Then:
6 + 6 = 12
Then:
12 + 8 = 20
And finally:
20 + 10 = 30
Everything follows the same pattern.
The amount being added increases by 2 every time:
First: +4
Second: +6
Third: +8
Fourth: +10
So the next number is definitely:
20 + 10 = 30
Among the four options, that means the correct choice is:
🟡 Option C — 30
🤔 But There Is Another Way to See It
There is an even more interesting pattern hidden inside this sequence.
Look at the numbers:
2, 6, 12, 20
These can also be written as multiplication:
1 × 2 = 2
2 × 3 = 6
3 × 4 = 12
4 × 5 = 20
Now what comes next?
Following exactly the same pattern:
5 × 6 = 30
So once again, we get:
🎯 30
This second method makes the answer even easier to verify.
🧠 The Hidden Formula
The sequence follows a simple mathematical relationship:
n × (n + 1)
Let’s test it.
For the first number:
1 × 2 = 2
For the second:
2 × 3 = 6
For the third:
3 × 4 = 12
For the fourth:
4 × 5 = 20
Therefore, for the fifth number:
5 × 6 = 30
So the missing number is:
30
This is why simply guessing based on how the numbers “look” can be misleading. The sequence has a consistent mathematical structure.
🔥 Why Do People Choose 24 or 28?
This is where the puzzle becomes more interesting.
Someone might see:
2, 6, 12, 20
and try to find a quick pattern without checking the differences.
For example, they might think the numbers are increasing by approximately the same amount and choose 24.
Someone else might notice that the increases are getting larger and choose 28.
Another person might simply guess 32 because it continues the general upward trend.
But a proper sequence puzzle requires us to find a rule that consistently explains every number before the missing number.
The difference method gives us:
2 → 6 = +4
6 → 12 = +6
12 → 20 = +8
The additions are clearly:
4, 6, 8
The next number in that smaller sequence is:
10
Therefore:
20 + 10 = 30
That makes 30 the answer supported by the pattern.
📊 Let’s Put Everything in a Simple Table
Position
Calculation
Result
1st
1 × 2
2
2nd
2 × 3
6
3rd
3 × 4
12
4th
4 × 5
20
5th
5 × 6
30
There is no change in the rule.
Every number is produced by multiplying one number by the next consecutive number.
So:
1 × 2 = 2
2 × 3 = 6
3 × 4 = 12
4 × 5 = 20
5 × 6 = 30
Therefore:
🏆 Final Answer = 30
💡 Another Quick Way to Solve It
If you don’t want to use multiplication, you can simply look at the gaps:
2 → 6
Difference = 4
6 → 12
Difference = 6
12 → 20
Difference = 8
The differences are:
4, 6, 8
These are consecutive even numbers.
The next even number is:
10
So:
20 + 10 = 30
Again:
✅ 30
🧠 What Makes This a Good Brain Teaser?
The interesting thing about number puzzles is that your brain often wants to find the answer as quickly as possible.
When you see:
2, 6, 12, 20, ?
your first instinct might be to look only at the actual numbers.
But the better approach is to ask:
“What is happening between each number?”
Once you compare the differences, the pattern becomes much easier to see.
This is a useful strategy for many number-sequence puzzles. Instead of staring at the numbers and trying to guess the missing one, calculate the difference between consecutive numbers.
Sometimes the differences themselves form another sequence.
That is exactly what happens here:
4, 6, 8, 10
Once that pattern appears, the answer becomes clear.
🎯 Final Solution
The original sequence is:
2, 6, 12, 20, ?
The differences are:
+4, +6, +8, +10
Therefore:
20 + 10 = 30
There is also a second way to confirm it:
1 × 2 = 2
2 × 3 = 6
3 × 4 = 12
4 × 5 = 20
5 × 6 = 30
Both approaches lead to the same result.
🟢 Correct Answer: 30 — Option C
If you selected C) 30, you spotted the pattern correctly. 🧠🔥
And if you selected another option, try the puzzle one more time before checking the explanation: don’t just look at the numbers—look at the difference between them.
The answer isn’t about guessing the next number. It’s about discovering the rule behind the sequence.