Question

If ‘PENCIL’ is coded as ‘QFODJM’, then ‘MARKER’ will be coded as:

• A. NBSLFS
• B. NBSJFS
• C. NSBLFS
• D. NBTLFS

Hint:

To verify your choice quickly under exam pressure, test just the first few and the very last letters of the word: $\text{M} \rightarrow \text{N}$, $\text{A} \rightarrow \text{B}$, and $\text{R} \rightarrow \text{S}$. This means the word must start with "NB..." and end with "...S". This immediately eliminates option (d)!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Coding-Decoding is a common logical reasoning topic where words are encrypted based on a specific logic or pattern related to the alphabetical positions.
The primary task is to identify the "shift" (how many places forward or backward in the A-Z sequence) for each individual letter.
Common shifts include a constant value (e.g., all letters +1), increasing values (e.g., +1, +2, +3), or patterns involving vowels and consonants.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
For each letter in the word, find its position in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26).
Compare the original letter's position with the coded letter's position to find the value of the shift (\(n\)).
Apply the identified shift rule to the letters of the target word 'MARKER'.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the reference pair 'PENCIL' and 'QFODJM' by matching characters at the same indices.
P \(\rightarrow\) Q: P is the 16th letter, Q is the 17th. Shift = \(+1\)
E \(\rightarrow\) F: E is the 5th letter, F is the 6th. Shift = \(+1\)
N \(\rightarrow\) O: N is the 14th letter, O is the 15th. Shift = \(+1\)
C \(\rightarrow\) D: C is the 3rd letter, D is the 4th. Shift = \(+1\)
I \(\rightarrow\) J: I is the 9th letter, J is the 10th. Shift = \(+1\)
L \(\rightarrow\) M: L is the 12th letter, M is the 13th. Shift = \(+1\)
The pattern is a constant linear shift of \(+1\) for every letter.

Now, apply this \(+1\) rule to 'MARKER':
M \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) N
A \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) B
R \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) S
K \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) L
E \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) F
R \(+ 1 \rightarrow\) S

Concatenating these coded letters gives us 'NBSLFS'.
Let's evaluate the options:
(a) NBSLFS: Exact match.
(b) NBSJFS: Incorrect 4th letter (J instead of L).
(c) NSBLFS: Incorrect 2nd and 3rd letter order.
(d) NBTLFS: Incorrect 3rd letter (T instead of S).
Thus, option (a) is correct.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The code for "MARKER" is NBSLFS.