52 is the 52nd term of linear pattern 

1, 2, 3, 4, ..., 49, 50, 51, 52, ...

Therefore, if we add 2 to every term,

3, 4, 5, 6, ..., 51, 52, 53, 54, ...

we see that each term comes two terms "earlier" in
that linear pattern.  So 52 comes 50th.

Answer: 50th term

Edwin