Four groups of letters are given. Three of them follow the same alphabetical pattern, while one group is different. Select the group of letters that is the odd one out.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: UIO

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This is an odd one out question involving groups of three letters. In three of the options, the letters follow the same consistent pattern of alphabetical spacing. One group breaks that pattern. You must observe and compare these patterns to identify which set of letters is different from the others.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Letter group one: JPV
  • Letter group two: UIO
  • Letter group three: KQW
  • Letter group four: LRX
  • Letter group five: EKQ


Concept / Approach:
A useful approach is to convert letters to their alphabet positions and examine the differences between consecutive letters in each group. If most groups share the same consistent difference pattern, the group with a different pattern will be the odd one out. Here we look for equal jumps between first to second and second to third letters.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: For JPV, positions are J = 10, P = 16, V = 22. Differences are 16 − 10 = 6 and 22 − 16 = 6. Step 2: For KQW, positions are K = 11, Q = 17, W = 23. Differences are 17 − 11 = 6 and 23 − 17 = 6. Step 3: For LRX, positions are L = 12, R = 18, X = 24. Differences again are 6 and 6. Step 4: For EKQ, positions are E = 5, K = 11, Q = 17. Differences are 11 − 5 = 6 and 17 − 11 = 6. Step 5: For UIO, positions are U = 21, I = 9, O = 15. Differences are 9 − 21 = −12 and 15 − 9 = 6, which do not match the plus six, plus six pattern.


Verification / Alternative check:
Since JPV, KQW, LRX, and EKQ all follow the pattern of successive letters increasing by six positions, they form one consistent group. UIO is the only group where the sequence first moves backward by twelve and then forward by six. This clearly breaks the common pattern and confirms UIO as the odd one out.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • JPV shows a regular spacing of plus six between each pair of letters.
  • KQW follows the same plus six, plus six pattern.
  • LRX also maintains the constant difference of six between letters.
  • EKQ continues the exact same rule and therefore fits the majority pattern.


Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted to focus on letter shapes or whether letters are consonants or vowels. Others may overlook that U in UIO is much later in the alphabet than I. The safest method for such questions is always to convert letters to numbers and systematically compute differences, which reveals the pattern more reliably than visual inspection.


Final Answer:
The odd letter group is UIO.

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