Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: BNLOKZHM
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a rearrangement-based coding question. The word BLEACH is coded as LBAEHC, which shows that the letters are not being replaced with different letters but are instead swapped in pairs. The question asks us to find which original word, when coded using the same pair-wise swapping rule, will result in NBOLZKMH. Thus we must understand the rearrangement for BLEACH, then reverse it for NBOLZKMH and match with the options.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
By comparing BLEACH and LBAEHC, we can detect a pattern of pairwise swapping: the first letter swaps with the second, the third with the fourth, and the fifth with the sixth. This pattern can be represented as swapping positions (1,2), (3,4) and (5,6). To decode NBOLZKMH, we can apply the same swap within each pair to get back the original word. That decoded original word should be present among the options.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write BLEACH with positions: 1-B, 2-L, 3-E, 4-A, 5-C, 6-H.
Step 2: The code LBAEHC has letters: 1-L, 2-B, 3-A, 4-E, 5-H, 6-C.
Step 3: Observe that positions (1,2) are swapped (B,L -> L,B), positions (3,4) are swapped (E,A -> A,E), and positions (5,6) are swapped (C,H -> H,C).
Step 4: For NBOLZKMH, group letters in pairs: NB OL ZK MH.
Step 5: Swap letters in each pair back to decode: NB -> BN, OL -> LO, ZK -> KZ, MH -> HM, forming BNLOKZHM.
Step 6: Look through the options and identify that BNLOKZHM is exactly option D.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can quickly recode BNLOKZHM using the same rule (swapping pairs) to see if it gives us NBOLZKMH: BN -> NB, LO -> OL, KZ -> ZK, HM -> MH. This matches perfectly, confirming that BNLOKZHM is the correct corresponding original word.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: OBNKZLHM has letters in a different order; applying pair swaps does not produce NBOLZKMH.
Option B: LOBNHMKZ, even after paired swapping, does not match the target code.
Option C: OCPMALNI contains letters that do not appear in the code NBOLZKMH, so it cannot be correct.
Option E: BNOLKZHM differs slightly from BNLOKZHM and fails the pairwise swap test.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes assume a shift in alphabet rather than a simple swap, which complicates the problem unnecessarily. Another frequent error is misgrouping letters into wrong pairs or forgetting that the swap rule must be applied consistently to all pairs. Writing the pairs clearly and swapping them methodically prevents such mistakes.
Final Answer:
The word that is coded as NBOLZKMH is BNLOKZHM.
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