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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 Stenographer 2023 Previous Year Paper (13-Oct-2023) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is

WKO

Finding the Odd Letter Cluster Out

This question asks us to identify the letter cluster that is different from the other three based on a certain pattern. We are given four letter clusters: XLQ, QEJ, ZNS, and WKO.

Analyzing Letter Positions

To find the pattern, let's look at the alphabetical position of each letter in the clusters.

Cluster First Letter Second Letter Third Letter
XLQ X (24) L (12) Q (17)
QEJ Q (17) E (5) J (10)
ZNS Z (26) N (14) S (19)
WKO W (23) K (11) O (15)

Identifying the Pattern in Letter Clusters

Now let's examine the relationship between the positions of the letters within each cluster.

  • XLQ: Position of X is 24, L is 12, Q is 17. The difference between X and L is $24 - 12 = 12$. The difference between Q and L is $17 - 12 = 5$.
  • QEJ: Position of Q is 17, E is 5, J is 10. The difference between Q and E is $17 - 5 = 12$. The difference between J and E is $10 - 5 = 5$.
  • ZNS: Position of Z is 26, N is 14, S is 19. The difference between Z and N is $26 - 14 = 12$. The difference between S and N is $19 - 14 = 5$.
  • WKO: Position of W is 23, K is 11, O is 15. The difference between W and K is $23 - 11 = 12$. The difference between O and K is $15 - 11 = 4$.

Determining the Odd One Out

From the analysis above, we can see a clear pattern in the first three letter clusters (XLQ, QEJ, ZNS):

  • The position of the second letter is 12 less than the position of the first letter.
  • The position of the third letter is 5 more than the position of the second letter.

Let's check if this pattern holds for all options:

  • XLQ: $24 - 12 = 12$ (L), $12 + 5 = 17$ (Q). Follows the pattern.
  • QEJ: $17 - 12 = 5$ (E), $5 + 5 = 10$ (J). Follows the pattern.
  • ZNS: $26 - 12 = 14$ (N), $14 + 5 = 19$ (S). Follows the pattern.
  • WKO: $23 - 12 = 11$ (K), $11 + 5 = 16$. The third letter is O, which is at position 15. The difference $15 - 11 = 4$, not 5. Does not follow the pattern.

The letter cluster WKO is the only one where the difference between the position of the second letter and the third letter is 4, instead of 5 like the others. Therefore, WKO is the odd one out.

Revision Table: Letter Cluster Analysis

Cluster Letter Positions Difference (1st to 2nd) Difference (2nd to 3rd) Follows Pattern (-12, +5)?
XLQ 24, 12, 17 $24 - 12 = 12$ $17 - 12 = 5$ Yes
QEJ 17, 5, 10 $17 - 5 = 12$ $10 - 5 = 5$ Yes
ZNS 26, 14, 19 $26 - 14 = 12$ $19 - 14 = 5$ Yes
WKO 23, 11, 15 $23 - 11 = 12$ $15 - 11 = 4$ No

Additional Information: Letter Series Reasoning

Letter series and letter cluster questions are common in reasoning tests. They often involve patterns based on:

  • Alphabetical position of letters.
  • Difference or sum of positions.
  • Skip patterns (e.g., skipping one letter, two letters).
  • Vowel/consonant patterns.
  • Reverse alphabetical order.

To solve these questions, it's helpful to write down the alphabet with their positions (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26) or visualize it. Then, look for numerical relationships between the letters in the given sequence or clusters.

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Important Questions from Letter based

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