Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: JM
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the alphabet analogy section of verbal reasoning. You are given one pair of letter groups, DA and FE, that follow a certain pattern. You must apply the same hidden rule to the second pair, HI, and then select the correct related group of letters from the options. Such problems test your familiarity with alphabetical positions and your ability to recognise consistent shifts across letters.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Letter analogy questions usually work by shifting each letter forward or backward by a fixed number of positions. Sometimes different letters in the same group are shifted by different amounts, but in a regular pattern. The simplest way to solve this question is to convert each letter into its position in the alphabet and then observe how the first pair changes. After the rule is identified, we use it to transform the second group, HI, and match the result with the options.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write the positions of the letters in DA. D is the 4th letter and A is the 1st letter of the alphabet.Step 2: Write the positions of the letters in FE. F is the 6th letter and E is the 5th letter.Step 3: Compare the first letters: D (4) to F (6) is a shift of +2 positions.Step 4: Compare the second letters: A (1) to E (5) is a shift of +4 positions.Step 5: Conclude that the rule for DA is: first letter plus 2, second letter plus 4.Step 6: Apply the same rule to HI. H is the 8th letter, so H + 2 gives the 10th letter, J. I is the 9th letter, so I + 4 gives the 13th letter, M.Step 7: The resulting pair is JM, which is present as option B.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can quickly check that no other option fits the discovered rule. KO would require adding +3 and +6 to H and I, JK would apply +2 to both letters, and KJ would mix different shifts. Only JM respects exactly +2 for the first letter and +4 for the second letter, so the pattern is unique and reliable.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, KO, does not match the position changes we observed. Option C, JK, would require adding +2 to both letters instead of +2 and +4. Option D, KJ, reverses letters and shifts inconsistently. Because these do not follow the same transformation that takes DA to FE, they are all incorrect.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to assume that every letter in a pair is shifted by the same amount or to guess based only on appearance. Some test takers also forget to check each letter separately. Always convert letters to numbers, compute the exact differences and apply the same operations in the same order to the new pair.
Final Answer:
The correct completion of the analogy is JM, so option B is the right answer.
Discussion & Comments