(IGP) IAS Pre Paper - 2: GS - General Mental Ability - Classification

Alphabet Classification

In this type of classification, a group of jumbled letters, typically consisting a single or two or three or four letters are put together. The pattern or order in which they are grouped is to be identified and students need to find out which groups have the same pattern or relationship between the letters. There will be only one choice, which will have a different pattern from the rest and hence becomes the answer option.

Example 1: Find the odd one among the following.
(a) LY
(b) GU
(c) DQ
(d) JW

Solution. (b) Corresponding places in the first half and the second half of letters, except option (b). Find the odd man out.

(a) AK
(b) CM
(c) EP
(d) DN

Solution. (c) Except EP {option (c)}, the rest has a gap of 10 letters between them.

Example 2: Find the odd man out.
(a) A
(b) D
(c) Y
(d) U

Solution. (d) Except option (d), the remaining letters represents the square number positions in English alphabet.

Number Classification

In such questions, students need to choose the odd number from the given options. The numbers may belong to a particular pattern, i.e., they may be odd, even, prime, rational, squares, cubes and they may also be coded into binary digits (0 s and 1 s), etc. and only one of the choices will not follow the same pattern.

Example 3 : Find the odd man out.
(a) 35
(b) 55
(c) 45
(d) 65

Solution. (c) Except option (c), the remaining are prime products of 5.

Example 6 : Find the odd man out.
(a) 10
(b) 17
(c) 26
(d) 38

Example 12 : Find the odd man out.
(a) Diamond
(b) Bridge
(c) Heart
(d) Spade

Solution. (b) Except option (b), rest are the suits of cards.

Example 13: Find the odd man out.
(a) Tailor
(b) Barber
(c) Carpenter
(d) Blacksmith

Solution: (b) Except option (b) rest all require raw material to work.

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