Question

Find the odd one among: 64, 8, 36, 6, 12, 4
(a) 64
(b) 36
(c) 6
(d) 12

Answer 1

Note: First, we must know the pattern followed by the series given in the question. Then, we must start with the most common pattern which is addition and subtraction of numbers .Then, by looking in the series given, we can see that the first number is the square of the corresponding number. Now, by applying the following above mentioned pattern, we can get the odd one out.

Complete step-by-step answer:
In this question, we are supposed to find the odd man out of the given following series of numbers as:
64, 8, 36, 6, 12, 4
So, before proceeding for this, we must know the pattern followed by the series given in the question.
For that, we must apply different perspectives to get the pattern accurately.
So, we must start with the most common patterns which are addition and subtraction of numbers.
But, here the numbers are increasing or decreasing randomly which does not define the pattern of addition or subtraction.
Similarly, the pattern of multiplication or division will lead to increasing or decreasing number series which is also not the case in this question.
The only case left with the most common series pattern is squaring of the number.
So, by looking in the series given, we can see that the first number is the square of the corresponding number.
So, by following the above pattern, 64 is a square of 8.
Similarly, 36 is a square of 6.
But when we go for the square of 4, it is 16.
\[\begin{align}
  & {{8}^{2}}=64 \\
 & {{6}^{2}}=36 \\
 & {{4}^{2}}=16 \\
\end{align}\]
But in the series given in the question, it is written 12 before 4 which is not the square of 4.
So, 16 comes in place of 12 to follow the described pattern.
So, 12 is the odd one out from the series of 64, 8, 36, 6, 12, 4.
Hence, option (d) is correct.

Hint: Now, to solve these types of questions we need to know some of the basic patterns beforehand , so that we can catch the pattern easily and identify the odd man out. So, some basic pattern are:
Addition of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
Subtraction of 2: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.
Squaring the first number to get second number and increasing alternate odd placed by 2:
2, 4, 4, 16, 6, 36, 8, 64.