RAS question
In a code, DELHI is written as CDKGH. What will PATNA be written as?
Correct answer: (C) OZSMZ.
If DELHI is coded as CDKGH by shifting every letter one place backward, PATNA is coded as OZSMZ.
Explanation
The code works by comparing each letter of DELHI with the corresponding letter of CDKGH and identifying the same alphabetic relationship throughout the word. D becomes C, E becomes D, L becomes K, H becomes G, and I becomes H, so every letter is shifted one position backward. Testbook's letter-shifting method says such coding-decoding questions are solved by finding the relationship between the given word and its coded form, then applying that pattern to the required word. Applying the same backward shift to PATNA gives P to O, A to Z, T to S, N to M, and A to Z. Therefore, PATNA becomes OZSMZ.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) OZSMA gets the first four letters right but leaves the final A unchanged, while the rule requires A to shift one place backward to Z.
- (B) QBUOB shifts each letter of PATNA one place forward, but DELHI to CDKGH shows a one-place backward shift.
- (D) PATNB mostly leaves the original word unchanged and changes only the last letter forward, so it does not follow the uniform backward-shift pattern.
Concept
This tests coding-decoding through letter shifting: infer the alphabetic relation in the given pair and apply it consistently. It recurs in RAS Reasoning and Mental Ability because it checks quick pattern recognition under exam conditions.