Directions (48-52): What will come in place of question mark (?) in the following questions.

8, 30, 49, 73, 90, 116, ?

The correct option is 131.

To find the missing term in the given number series, let us analyze the differences between consecutive numbers:

$30-8=22$

$49-30=19$

$73-49=24$

$90-73=17$

$116-90=26$

The sequence of first differences is: 22, 19, 24, 17, 26.

Let us look at the pattern in these differences by splitting them into two alternating series:

1st, 3rd, 5th differences: 22, 24, 26 (increasing by +2 each time)

2nd, 4th, 6th differences: 19, 17, 15 (decreasing by -2 each time)

Following this alternating logic, the next difference (6th difference) should be:

$17-2=15$

Now, add this difference of 15 to the last number of the series (116) to find the missing value (?):

$?=116+15=131$

Thus, the number that comes in place of the question mark is 131.