In the following letter analogy, ACEG is related to ZXVT using opposite positions in the alphabet. Using the same pattern, IKMO is related to which of the following options?

Introduction / Context:
This analogy tests how well you understand positional relationships of letters within the English alphabet. The pair ACEG : ZXVT uses a specific pattern based on letters that are opposite or complementary when counted from the start and end of the alphabet. You must discover this rule and then apply it to the second set of letters IKMO to find the correct related sequence.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- First letter group: ACEG.
- Related group: ZXVT.
- Second base group: IKMO.
- All answer options are four letter strings, just like the groups in the analogy.
- We assume that each letter in ACEG is mapped individually to a new letter to form ZXVT, and the same type of mapping must be used on IKMO.

Concept / Approach:
Write down positions of letters A to Z as 1 to 26. For complementary or opposite letters, the sum of their positions is often constant. For ACEG and ZXVT, notice that A (1) with Z (26) gives 27, C (3) with X (24) gives 27, E (5) with V (22) gives 27 and G (7) with T (20) gives 27. So each letter is replaced by the letter whose position index adds up to 27. This is a symmetric mapping around the middle of the alphabet. We apply the same 27 rule to IKMO.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Confirm the pattern on ACEG. Map A to Z, C to X, E to V and G to T and verify that each pair sums to 27. Step 2: Convert I, K, M and O to positions: I is 9, K is 11, M is 13 and O is 15. Step 3: Find the complementary letter for each by calculating 27 minus the position. For I, 27 - 9 = 18, which is R. For K, 27 - 11 = 16, which is P. For M, 27 - 13 = 14, which is N. For O, 27 - 15 = 12, which is L. Step 4: Write the mapped sequence in order as RPNL. Step 5: Compare RPNL with the options and select the exact match.

Verification / Alternative check:
Quickly verify that R and I are complementary (9 + 18 = 27), P and K are complementary (11 + 16 = 27), N and M (13 + 14 = 27) and L and O (15 + 12 = 27). This confirms that the same mapping has been applied. None of the other options maintain this consistent complementary relation for all four letters, so the pattern is unique.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options A, B and D do not give complementary pairs for each letter of IKMO. Some letters may accidentally fit the 27 rule, but the complete four letter group does not satisfy the pattern throughout. Since a valid analogy requires the same rule to hold for each position, these options must be rejected.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to search for simple forward or backward shifts by a fixed number instead of checking sums of positions. Another mistake is to identify the complementary rule for some letters but fail to apply it consistently to all positions. Writing down the alphabet with numerical positions helps prevent such slips.

Final Answer:
Using the complementary letter rule where positions add up to 27, IKMO maps to RPNL.