In a certain letter code, the word BUDDHISM is written as DWFFJKUO. Using the same pattern of coding, how will the word CHRISTIAN be written in that code?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: EJTKUVKCP

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This coding question is based on a simple letter shifting rule. The word BUDDHISM is transformed into DWFFJKUO by shifting each letter forward in the alphabet by a fixed number of positions. We must determine that shift and then apply the same rule to the letters of CHRISTIAN. This is an example of a Caesar shift style cipher, which is a very common pattern in verbal reasoning questions involving coded words.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The word BUDDHISM becomes DWFFJKUO in the code.
  • The mapping is consistent for each letter and appears to involve forward shifts in the alphabet.
  • We must find the coded form of CHRISTIAN.
  • Only uppercase English letters are involved and wrapping from Z back to A is allowed in general, though not needed here.



Concept / Approach:
The idea is to compare each letter in BUDDHISM with the corresponding letter in DWFFJKUO and measure the shift in alphabetical positions. If the shift is the same for each position, the code is a simple Caesar shift. Once we know the size of the shift, we can apply it to each letter in CHRISTIAN to generate the coded word. Because all letters in the example seem to have moved forward by the same number of places, this approach is straightforward and reliable.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write down the pairs from the example: B → D, U → W, D → F, D → F, H → J, I → K, S → U, M → O. Step 2: Check the shifts numerically. B is the second letter and D is the fourth, so B → D is a shift of +2. U is the 21st letter, W is the 23rd, again a shift of +2. Step 3: D (4) to F (6) is also +2. H (8) to J (10) is +2. I (9) to K (11) is +2. S (19) to U (21) is +2. M (13) to O (15) is +2. Step 4: Since every letter in BUDDHISM is shifted forward by 2 positions to get DWFFJKUO, the rule is a Caesar shift of +2. Step 5: Now apply this to CHRISTIAN. The letters are C, H, R, I, S, T, I, A, N. Step 6: Shift each letter forward by 2 positions: C → E, H → J, R → T, I → K, S → U, T → V, I → K, A → C, N → P. Step 7: Putting these together, CHRISTIAN becomes EJTKUVKCP.



Verification / Alternative check:
We can double check one or two positions to confirm. For instance, R is the 18th letter and T is the 20th, so R → T is indeed a shift of +2. Similarly, A (1) to C (3) is +2. Since every letter of CHRISTIAN has been handled with the same shift, and the rule is consistent with the BUDDHISM example, there is no doubt that EJTKUVKCP is the correct coding. Comparing with the answer choices confirms that option D matches this sequence exactly.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options A, B, C and E differ in one or more letters from the required shifted sequence. For example, some options replace one of the K letters with J or V with another letter, which would violate the constant shift rule. Since the code must apply a uniform shift of +2 to every letter, any deviation from EJTKUVKCP represents an inconsistent or incorrect mapping.



Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to apply different shifts to different letters, especially when working quickly without carefully computing positions. Another common error is to shift in the wrong direction, such as shifting backwards instead of forwards. Some test takers also miscount positions in the alphabet, particularly for letters in the second half. To avoid such errors, it helps to write down a quick alphabet string or remember anchor positions like A, M and Z and count from there.



Final Answer:
Using the same Caesar shift of plus two positions that converts BUDDHISM into DWFFJKUO, the word CHRISTIAN is coded as EJTKUVKCP.


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