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Question

Find the WRONG number in the given series.
5040, 720, 120, 24, 4, 2

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2025 Tier 2 Paper 1 Question Paper (19-Jan-2026)
The correct answer is
4

Series Analysis: Identifying the WRONG Number

The question requires finding the incorrect term in the number series: 5040, 720, 120, 24, 4, 2.

Investigating the Number Series Pattern

Let's examine the relationship between the numbers in the series. Observe the sequence:

  • 5040
  • 720
  • 120
  • 24
  • 4
  • 2

Consider the possibility of factorials:

  • $7! = 7 \times 6 \times 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 5040$
  • $6! = 6 \times 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 720$
  • $5! = 5 \times 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 120$
  • $4! = 4 \times 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 24$
  • $3! = 3 \times 2 \times 1 = 6$
  • $2! = 2 \times 1 = 2$

The series closely follows the pattern of decreasing factorials starting from $7!$.

Comparing Given Series with Factorial Pattern

Let's align the given series with the expected factorial sequence:

Position Given Series Expected Factorial Term Matches?
1 5040 $7! = 5040$ Yes
2 720 $6! = 720$ Yes
3 120 $5! = 120$ Yes
4 24 $4! = 24$ Yes
5 4 $3! = 6$ No
6 2 $2! = 2$ Yes

The table shows that the number '4' in the fifth position does not fit the factorial pattern. The expected number for this position is $3!$, which is 6.

Conclusion: WRONG Number Identification

Based on the analysis, the number 4 is the incorrect term in the series. It deviates from the established pattern of decreasing factorials ($7!, 6!, 5!, 4!, 3!, 2!$).

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