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Question

Three of the following four letter-clusters are alike in a certain way and one is different. Pick the odd one out.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2018 (Tier 2) Statistics Previous Year Paper (22-feb-2018)
The correct answer is

JLKRW

Finding the Odd Letter Cluster Pattern

This question asks us to identify the letter cluster that doesn't follow the same pattern as the others. To solve this, we can look at the positions of the letters in the English alphabet and find the differences between consecutive letters in each cluster.

Analyzing Letter Positions and Differences

Let's assign a numerical value to each letter based on its position (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26) and calculate the difference between adjacent letters in each cluster. Remember that the alphabet wraps around, so moving from Z to A is a difference of +1, Z to B is +2, and so on.

Letter Cluster Letter Positions Differences between consecutive letters Pattern
SUXBG S(19), U(21), X(24), B(2), G(7) $21 - 19 = +2$
$24 - 21 = +3$
$2 + (26 - 24) = 2 + 2 = +4$ (X to B via wrap-around)
$7 - 2 = +5$
+2, +3, +4, +5
BDGKP B(2), D(4), G(7), K(11), P(16) $4 - 2 = +2$
$7 - 4 = +3$
$11 - 7 = +4$
$16 - 11 = +5$
+2, +3, +4, +5
OQTXC O(15), Q(17), T(20), X(24), C(3) $17 - 15 = +2$
$20 - 17 = +3$
$24 - 20 = +4$
$3 + (26 - 24) = 3 + 2 = +5$ (X to C via wrap-around)
+2, +3, +4, +5
JLKRW J(10), L(12), K(11), R(18), W(23) $12 - 10 = +2$
$11 - 12 = -1$
$18 - 11 = +7$
$23 - 18 = +5$
+2, -1, +7, +5

Identifying the Different Pattern

From the analysis above, we can see the pattern of differences between consecutive letter positions:

  • SUXBG: +2, +3, +4, +5
  • BDGKP: +2, +3, +4, +5
  • OQTXC: +2, +3, +4, +5
  • JLKRW: +2, -1, +7, +5

The letter clusters SUXBG, BDGKP, and OQTXC all follow the same pattern of increasing differences (+2, +3, +4, +5). The letter cluster JLKRW follows a different pattern (+2, -1, +7, +5).

Conclusion

Based on the pattern of differences between consecutive letters, JLKRW is the odd one out.

Revision Table: Letter Cluster Patterns

Letter Cluster Pattern of Differences
SUXBG +2, +3, +4, +5
BDGKP +2, +3, +4, +5
OQTXC +2, +3, +4, +5
JLKRW +2, -1, +7, +5

Additional Information: Solving Letter Series Questions

Letter series and letter cluster questions are common in logical reasoning tests. To solve them effectively, consider these approaches:

  • Alphabetical Position: Convert letters to their numerical position (A=1, Z=26). Look for arithmetic patterns in the numbers (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or sequences like prime numbers, squares, cubes).
  • Differences: Calculate the difference between consecutive letters' positions. Look for patterns in these differences.
  • Skip Letters: Count the number of letters skipped between consecutive letters in the series.
  • Vowels/Consonants: Check if there's a pattern related to vowels and consonants.
  • Reverse Order: Sometimes patterns appear when reading the series backward.
  • Combinations: The pattern might be a combination of the above rules.

Always test your proposed pattern against all given options to ensure consistency or identify the outlier.

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Important Questions from Letter based

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