Final answer:
The next number in the series is found by continuing the pattern of multiplying each number by 2. The number following 96 in this multiplicative series is 192.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is working on a sequence of numbers where each number is twice the previous one.
The pattern here is multiplicative:
12 × 2 = 24,
24 × 2 = 48,
48 × 2 = 96.
To find the next number, we simply continue the pattern by multiplying the last number, 96, by 2:
96 × 2 = 192.
Therefore, the next number in the series should be 192.