Select the number that will replace the question mark (?) in the following series:

7, 23, 55, ?, 167

The correct answer is 103.

To find the number that replaces the question mark (?), let us analyze the pattern of differences between consecutive terms in the given series: 7, 23, 55, ?, 167.

Step 1: Calculate the differences between consecutive known numbers in the series.

Difference between the second and first term:
$23-7=16$

Difference between the third and second term:
$55-23=32$

Step 2: Identify the logic underlying the differences.

Notice that the differences are consecutive multiples of 16:

$16\times 1=16$

$16\times 2=32$

Step 3: Determine the missing number.

Following this pattern, the next difference (between the third term and the missing fourth term) must be the third multiple of 16:
$16\times 3=48$

Now, add 48 to the third term (55) to find the missing term:
$55+48=103$

Step 4: Verify the next term in the series.

The next difference should be the fourth multiple of 16:
$16\times 4=64$

Adding 64 to 103 gives:
$103+64=167$

This exactly matches the final number in the series, confirming that 103 is correct.