Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: LNTKCHMF
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is another simple alphabet shifting question. Each letter in the original word is replaced systematically by a preceding letter in the alphabet. You must infer that shift from the two examples and then apply it correctly to MOULDING.
Given Data / Assumptions:
COULD → BNTKC.
MARGIN → LZQFHM.
We are asked to find the code for MOULDING. We assume the same shift is applied to each letter of any word, regardless of its length.
Concept / Approach:
To identify the rule, compare each letter and its coded form to see whether the code letter is ahead or behind in the alphabet. If the difference is consistent for all pairs in both words, we have a simple uniform shift, which can be used confidently for MOULDING.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Look at COULD → BNTKC. C→B, O→N, U→T, L→K, D→C. Each letter is shifted one step backward in the alphabet.
Now confirm with MARGIN → LZQFHM. M→L, A→Z, R→Q, G→F, I→H, N→M. Again, every letter is one step backward, wrapping A to Z.
So the rule is: shift each letter one place back in the alphabet.
Apply this to MOULDING: M→L, O→N, U→T, L→K, D→C, I→H, N→M, G→F.
Therefore, MOULDING becomes LNTKCHMF.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, move one step forward from each letter of LNTKCHMF and check that you recover MOULDING. L→M, N→O, T→U, K→L, C→D, H→I, M→N, F→G. This confirms that the decoding and encoding rules are consistent in both directions.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options such as LNKTCHMF or NITKHCMF disturb the strict backward one letter shift in at least one position, so they do not respect the rule deduced from COULD and MARGIN. Only LNTKCHMF shows the exact one letter backward shift for every position in MOULDING.
Common Pitfalls:
One typical error is to shift some letters forward and others backward, especially around the beginning or end of the alphabet. Another common mistake is to mis-handle the wrap from A to Z. Always test your found rule on all available examples before trusting it on a new word.
Final Answer:
Using the same backward shift code, MOULDING is written as LNTKCHMF.
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