Final answer:
The next number in the series is 57.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the next number in the series 12, 17, 24, 33, 44, we need to identify the pattern. Looking at the differences between each number, we can see that they increase by 5, 7, 9, and 11 respectively. Therefore, the next difference would be 13. Adding 13 to the last number in the series, which is 44, we get the next number as 57.