MPESB Group · Bite-size lessons

Classification

About 6 min · Reasoning and Aptitude · English

Time worked out from the lesson's 320 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.

Classification is a topic in MPESB Group 1/2/3 reasoning sections. The fundamental task is simple: you are given a group of 4–5 items (words, numbers, letters, or figures), and you must identify which one does not belong with the others.

Key ideas

• Common property rule: All items in a group share one defining property (category, mathematical feature, position, structure). The odd one lacks this property.
• Four main types: Word-based (semantic categories), Number-based (mathematical properties), Letter-based (alphabetical patterns), and Figure-based (visual attributes).
• Hierarchy of checking: When multiple properties seem possible, prioritize the most specific or dominant pattern. Example: "All are prime numbers" trumps "all are odd numbers" if three primes and one non-prime odd number are given.
• Distractor design: Examiners often include items that partially fit. A fruit might be placed among vegetables, but both are "food"—you must find the tighter grouping.
• Position matters in letters: Alphabetical position values (A=1, B=2... Z=26) often reveal hidden number patterns in letter groups.

Watch out for

• Wrong thinking: "All are two-digit numbers, so no odd one exists."
• Correct fix: Dig deeper. Check divisibility, prime status, digit relationships. The question always has an answer.
• Wrong thinking: Assuming 64 is "only" a square (8²) and missing that it's also a cube (4³).

Quick reference

• Four types: Words (category), Numbers (math property), Letters (position/pattern), Figures (visual attribute).
• Number checks: Prime → Square → Cube → Divisibility → Digit sum.
• Letter anchors: A=1, J=10, M=13, Z=26; Vowels at 1, 5, 9, 15, 21.
• Word strategy: Go from broad category → narrow subcategory until one item doesn't fit.
• Time target: 30–45 seconds per question. If stuck beyond 60 seconds, mark and move.

Check yourself: 3 questions

This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 17 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.

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