If the word "CROWNED" is coded as "APMULCB" by shifting each letter two places backward in the alphabet, then how will the word "TAP" be coded in the same way?

Introduction / Context:
This question uses a straightforward letter shifting rule. The example shows the word CROWNED coded as APMULCB. By comparing the positions of letters in the alphabet, we can see that each letter in the original word is moved two places backward. Once we confirm this rule, we apply it letter by letter to the new word TAP to obtain its code.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• "CROWNED" is written as "APMULCB".
• We must find the coded form of "TAP".
• The order of letters is preserved and each letter is shifted by the same number of positions.
• Alphabet positions are A = 1, B = 2, up to Z = 26, and shifts wrap around if needed.

Concept / Approach:
The idea is to identify the shift by comparing corresponding letters in CROWNED and APMULCB. If each letter of the code is two letters before the original letter in the alphabet, the rule is a uniform backward shift of two positions. After confirming this rule across all letters of CROWNED, we apply it to each letter in TAP in turn.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Compare C with A. C is the third letter, A is the first, so the shift is backward by two positions. Step 2: Compare R with P. R is the eighteenth letter, P is the sixteenth, also a backward shift of two. Step 3: Compare O with M, W with U, N with L, E with C and D with B. Each time the coded letter is exactly two positions before the original letter in the alphabet. Step 4: Conclude that the rule is: coded letter = original letter shifted backward by two positions. Step 5: Now apply this to TAP. First take T, the twentieth letter. Two positions backward gives R, the eighteenth letter. Step 6: Next, A is the first letter. Two positions backward wraps around: before A is Z (twenty sixth) and before that is Y (twenty fifth). So A becomes Y. Step 7: Finally, P is the sixteenth letter. Two positions backward gives N, the fourteenth letter. Step 8: Putting these letters together, TAP is coded as RYN.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify this by shifting R, Y and N forward by two positions and checking that we recover T, A and P. R forward two becomes T, Y forward two wraps to A, and N forward two is P. This confirms that RYN is indeed the correct encoded form under the same rule used for CROWNED.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The alternatives WNT, TYL and XAV do not match the uniform backward shift by two positions from T, A and P. For example, X is too far forward from T and W is too far forward from T. None of these three options can be obtained by applying the confirmed shift of minus two to each letter in TAP.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is miscounting the wrap around for letters at the beginning of the alphabet, especially for A. Another mistake is to assume a forward shift when the example demonstrates a backward shift. Always check at least two or three letter pairs from the example word before deciding the direction and size of the shift.

Final Answer:
Using the same backward shift of two positions, the word "TAP" is coded as RYN.