In an alphabet-based series, the terms CL, HQ and MV are given. Which pair of letters should come next to continue the same pattern?

Introduction / Context:
This problem is an example of a two-letter alphabet series question. The challenge is to understand how the first letters change from term to term and how the second letters change. Once the logic for both positions is understood, we can confidently extend the series. These questions strengthen pattern recognition skills and familiarity with the positions of letters in the English alphabet, which are crucial for many competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The given series is: CL, HQ, MV, ?.• Each term consists of exactly two capital letters.• The sequence of first letters C, H, M forms one sub-series.• The sequence of second letters L, Q, V forms another sub-series.

Concept / Approach:
We map each letter to its numerical position: A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26. Then we observe the differences between successive first letters and separately between successive second letters. If a constant movement is seen, we apply the same change to determine the next pair. The key insight is that both sub-series follow the same step size, and this step determines the missing letters precisely.

Step-by-Step Solution:
First letters: C, H, M. Positions are C=3, H=8, M=13.The differences are 8 − 3 = 5 and 13 − 8 = 5, so the pattern is +5 each time.Next first letter = 13 + 5 = 18, which corresponds to R.Second letters: L, Q, V. Positions are L=12, Q=17, V=22.Again, the differences are 17 − 12 = 5 and 22 − 17 = 5, so the pattern is +5.Next second letter = 22 + 5 = 27, which wraps around to 1 (27 − 26) and corresponds to A.Therefore, the next term in the series is RA.

Verification / Alternative check:
If we write the sequence of letter positions explicitly, the first-letter series is 3, 8, 13, 18 and the second-letter series is 12, 17, 22, 27 (which cycles to 1). Both show a clear arithmetic progression with a common difference of 5. No other candidate option fits this combined pattern for both positions, so RA is consistent and unique.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
QZ, SB and TC do not maintain a constant difference of +5 from the previous term MV in both letter positions. For example, SB would require the first-letter jump from M to S, which is +6 instead of +5, and QZ would fail in the second-letter progression. Since the underlying rule is strict, only RA satisfies the pattern for both letters simultaneously.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to consider only one letter of the pair and ignore the other. Another frequent error is forgetting the wrap-around from Z back to A when positions exceed 26. By working with numeric positions carefully and checking both letters, candidates can avoid incorrect guesses and obtain the correct term systematically.

Final Answer:
RA