Classification

Learning Objectives
 To get aware of classification.
 Increasing interest about this segment of reasoning.
 Improving the general awareness for solving problems.
 Increasing the word power for solving problems.

What is Classification?
You must have in your mind what classification means. In fact, in classification, we take an element out of some
given elements and the element to be taken out is different from the rest of the elements in terms of common
properties, shapes, sizes, types, nature, colours, traits etc. In this way the remaining elements form a group and the
element that has been taken out is not the member of that group, as this single element does not possess the common
quality to be possessed by rest of the elements. For example, if we compare the animals like lion, cow, tiger, panther,
bear and wolf, then we find that this is a group of animals. How do we classify then?
To understand this let us see the presentation given below:

Here/if we want to separate out one animal then definitely that animal will be cow because cow is the only animal
in the group which is a domestic animal. Rest of the animals (lion, tiger, panther, bear and wolf) are wild animals.
Hence, rest of the animals (lion, tiger, panther, bear & wolf) form a group of wild animals separating out the domestic
animal (cow).
Similarly, out of 6 letters A, M, N X P & Q, we will take out A and form a group of 5 letters M, N, W, P & Q because
out of given six letters only A is a vowel while remaining letters form a group of consonants.

Types of Classification
(a) Letter Based Classification.
Such classification is based on letters of English alphabet. So many groups of latter are given in the question in which
one group is different from remaining group and hence, the different group will be our answer.

Example 1: Find the odd one out of the following options.

(a) PQT (b) UVY
(c) DEH (d) UN
(e) FGJ
Explanation:

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

As it is clear that except option (d), all the other options have a gap of 2 letters between 2nd and third letter and the
1st two letters are in consecutive order, while in case of option (d), 1st two letters are in consecutive order but there
is a gap of 3 letters between 2nd and third letter. This is the reason why option (d) separates itself out of the remaining
options. Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.
 Example 2: Following are given options and out of them 4 form a group in terms of some similarity. Find out the
option which does not fit into this group.
(a) L M N O ---- O N M L (b) P Q R S ---- SRQ P
(c) I J K L ----- L K J I (d) U V W X ---- V U X W
(e) None of these

Explanation:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

 Above presentation makes it clear that (d) does not fit into the group.

Commonly Asked Question

1. Find the odd one out.
(a) A (b) O
(c) I (d) L
(e) None of these
Answer: (d)

Explanation: Option (d) is correct because it is the only consonant in a group of vowels.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (d)

2. Which of the following does not match with the group?

(a) AB-BA (b) LM-ML
(c) EF-GH (d) DE-ED
(e) None of these
Answer: (c)

Explanation: Option (c) is correct because in, ail other options, the last two letters are the reverse of the 1st two
letters.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (c)

(b) Word Based Classification

In such type of classification, we have to take odd one out of the given group of words.

Example 1: Which one of the following words is not a part of the group formed by remaining words. The remaining
words form the group on the basis of certain similarity.
(a) Name (b) Game
(c) Fame (d) Shame
(e) Lame

Explanation: Option (d) is the correct answer because this is the only word which has 5 letters while the remaining
words have 4 letters and hence, option (a), (b), (c) & (e) form a group separating out option (d).

Example 2: Out of the 5 words given below, four have a certain thing common and so they form a group. Find out
the word which one is not a part of that group.
 (a) Slim (b) Trim
(c) Greet (d) Grid
(e) Fight

Explanation: Option (c) is the correct answer because this is the only option which has two vowels while the other
options have only one vowel. Let us see the following presentation:

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e)

Commonly Asked Question

1. Choose the word that does not fit into the group.
(a) Go (b) So
(c) To (d) Two
(e) None of these
Answer: (d)

Explanation: Option (d) is correct because this is the only word in the group having three letters.
Rest of the options is incorrect because, each (a), (b) and (c) has 2 letters and option (e) becomes useless because of
the correctness of option (d).

2. Which one is the odd one?

(a) Slim (b) Took
(c) Look (d) Book
(e) None of these
Answer: (a)

Explanation: Option (a) is correct because it has two different middle letter I and i, whereas other options have 'oo'
as their middle letters.
Let us see:

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (a)

 (c) Digit Based Classification
In such type of classification, digits or numbers are given to find out the number/digit that is not a part of the group
of remaining numbers.
Example 1: Find the odd one out
(a) 122 (b) 128
(c) 199 (d) 200
(e) 388

Explanation: Option (c) is the correct option because this is an odd number while all the other options are even
numbers.
Example 2: Four of the following numbers have some similarity and hence, they form a group. Find out the
number which does not suit in the group.
(a) 7842 (b) 7562
(c) 7122 (d) 7722
(e) 8952

Explanation: Option (e) is the correct answer as except option (e) all other options start with 7 & end with 2.

Commonly Asked Question

1. Find the odd one out.
(a) 15 (b) 2
(c) 16 (d) 17
(e) None of these
Answer: (b)

Explanation: Option (b) is correct because this is the only option in the given group which is made of a single digit.
Rest of the options is incorrect because each (a), (c) and (d) is made of 2 digits and so they form a group while option
(e) is useless because of the correctness of option (b).

2. Pick the option which does not belong to the group.

(a) 5 (b) 6
(c) 7 (d) 18
(e) None of these
Answer: (d)

Explanation: Option (d) is correct because this is the only option in the group which is made of two digits.
Rest of the options is incorrect because each (a), (b) and (c) is made of one digit and option (e) becomes useless
because of the correctness of option (d)

(d) General Knowledge Based Classification

Such classification is done on the basis of our general knowledge. No doubt, that this is a word based classification
but without having general knowledge these type of questions cannot be solved.
Example 1: Find the odd one out.
(a) Patna (b) Mumbai
(c) Kolkata (d) Bangluru
(e) Madhya Pradesh

Explanation: Option (e) is the correct answer because Madhya Pradesh is an Indian State while all other options
are capitals of Indian states. Patna is the capital of Bihar, Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra; Kolkata is the capital
of West Bengal and Bangluru is the capital of Karnataka. In case of Madhya Pradesh, we can say it is an Indian state
and it has its capital in Bhopal.

Example 2: Which of the following animals does not fit into the group formed by remaining four animals?
(a) Cat (b) Dog
(c) Tiger (d) Octopus
(e) Lion
 Explanation: Option (d) is the correct option as this is the only animal out of given options which is a water
animal. All other options are land animals.

Commonly Asked Question

1. Select the odd one.
(a) Rose (b) Potato
(c) Cauliflower (d) Cabage
(e) None of these
Answer: (a)

Explanation: Option (a) is correct because this is the only flower in a group of vegetables.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (a).

2. Which of the following does not belong to the group?

(a) Delhi (b) Lahore
(c) Mumbai (d) Kolkata
(e) Patna
Answer: (b)

Explanation: Option (b) is correct because this is the only Pakistani city in a group of Indian cities.
Rest of the options is incorrect because each (a), (c)/ (d) and (e) is an Indian city.

Commonly Asked Question

1. Find the odd one.
(a) Watermelon (b) Orange
(c) Potato (d) Mango
(e) None of these
Answer: (c)

Explanation: Option (c) is correct because this is the only vegetable in a group of fruits.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (c).

2. In the following options……….is the odd one.

(a) D (b) O
(c) L (d) M
(e) None of these
Answer: (b)

Explanation: Option (b) is correct because this is the only vowel in a group of consonants.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (b).

3. See the following options and find the odd one.

(a) Five (b) Nine
(c) Line (d) Create
(e) None of these
Answer: (d)

Explanation: Option (d) is correct because this is the only word of 6 letters in a group of words made of 4 letters.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (d).

4. Which one of the following options is different from others?

(a) 12 (b) 22
(c) 32 (d) 15
(e) None of these
Answer: (d)
 Explanation: Option (d) is correct because this is the only option which ends with 5 while all others end with 2.
Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (d).

5. Take the odd one out.

(a) EA (b) PL
(c) IF (d) WS
(e) None of these
Answer: (c)

Let us see:

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Rest of the options is incorrect because of the correctness of option (c).