"Four letter-clusters have been given, out of which three are alike in some manner and one is different. Select the odd letter-cluster."

Appeared in: NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

Explanation

The logic behind this question is to find the pattern in the alphabetical distance between consecutive letters.
In the cluster CHMS, the letters correspond to positions 3, 8, 13, and 19.
The difference between these positions is +5, +5, and +6.
This pattern is different from the other three options, which all have a consistent difference of +5 between each letter.

Option B: The letter cluster NSXC follows a consistent pattern where the alphabetical position of each subsequent letter increases by 5.
Option C: The letter cluster PUZE follows a consistent pattern where the alphabetical position of each subsequent letter increases by 5.
Option D: The letter cluster JOTY follows a consistent pattern where the alphabetical position of each subsequent letter increases by 5.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Logical Reasoning - Odd One Out (Letter Cluster) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a clinical question, the underlying skill of pattern recognition is crucial for nurses.
Nurses use pattern recognition daily to interpret ECG strips, identify symptom clusters indicative of a specific disease, and notice subtle trends in a patient's vital signs.
Strong logical reasoning skills help nurses in prioritizing care, making sound clinical judgments, and troubleshooting equipment.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the task: The question asks to find the 'odd one out' from four letter clusters, which implies three share a common rule that one does not.
The most common rule for such questions is a mathematical relationship between the alphabetical positions of the letters.
Convert each letter in all four options to its corresponding number in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26).
For each cluster, calculate the difference between consecutive numbers (e.g., in CHMS, calculate H-C, M-H, S-M).
Compare the sequence of differences across all four options.
The option whose sequence of differences does not match the others is the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.