Fill in the blank with the correct number in this number series: 3, 9, 8, 7, __, 5, 18, ?
Options:
(A) 6
(B) 7
(C) 9
(D) 10
(E) 13 Hmmm, my stream of consciousness:
This is a simple alternating subtraction and addition series; The first series begins with 3 and adds 5; the second begins with 9 and subtracts 2, and so on. So, the answer is (E).