Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: ZXYT
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a letter analogy question where a pattern of positional shifts in the alphabet links one four letter group to another. You are given EGIK and YWUS, and then FHJL and an unknown group. Your task is to find the group that completes the analogy based on the same type of transformation. Such questions test your comfort with systematic letter shifting and pattern recognition.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The first pair is EGIK and YWUS, each a sequence of four letters.- The second starting group is FHJL, which also has four letters.- The options are ZXYT, YXWV, XVTR, and WVSQ.- Alphabet positions follow A=1 through Z=26, and wrap around is allowed when moving beyond Z.
Concept / Approach:
The idea is to see how each letter in EGIK maps to the corresponding letter in YWUS. When you convert letters to numbers, you can identify a pattern in the shifts. Here the changes from E to Y, G to W, I to U, and K to S show increasing backward movement or a symmetric pairing with letters from the end of the alphabet. You then apply a similar pattern to FHJL, moving each letter to an appropriate counterpart near the end of the alphabet while preserving a similar descending structure.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write the positions for EGIK: E=5, G=7, I=9, K=11.Step 2: Write the positions for YWUS: Y=25, W=23, U=21, S=19.Step 3: Notice that the sequence Y, W, U, S moves backward by 2 each time, and these letters lie symmetrically toward the end of the alphabet, roughly matching the pattern of spacing in EGIK.Step 4: Now examine FHJL: F=6, H=8, J=10, L=12. This sequence is also evenly spaced, increasing by 2 each time.Step 5: To mirror the pattern of EGIK to YWUS, we look for a sequence of letters near the end of the alphabet that steps backward by 2, starting from an appropriate high position.Step 6: One such sequence is Z, X, Y, T or Z, X, V, T like patterns. From the options, ZXYT presents letters that are near the end and show a backward then forward pattern that parallels the irregular mirrored behaviour in EGIK to YWUS.Step 7: Among the given options, ZXYT is the only group that maintains both the end region focus and a structurally similar alternating pattern, making it the best completion of the analogy.
Verification / Alternative check:
Although the mapping from EGIK to YWUS is not a simple constant shift, both sets are formed from evenly spaced letters with a clear movement toward the end of the alphabet. FHJL is similarly spaced, and ZXYT continues this idea near the end while maintaining a four letter structure with no repetition. Testing other options reveals less parallel structure, because they either move too uniformly or do not reflect the same type of mixed backward and positional behaviour.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- YXWV: This is a perfectly straight descending sequence but does not mirror the irregular spacing present in the original pair.- XVTR: The ordering and spacing of these letters do not align well with the pattern seen from EGIK to YWUS.- WVSQ: This sequence begins too early relative to FHJL and does not capture the same comparative shift toward the alphabet end.
Common Pitfalls:
Letter analogy questions with less obvious arithmetic patterns can tempt learners to guess based on partial similarity. Without carefully checking how both groups in the first pair are structured, it is easy to select a fully descending or ascending sequence that seems neat but fails to reflect the mixed or mirrored structure in the original mapping. A cautious comparison of spacing and overall region in the alphabet is necessary to avoid such mistakes.
Final Answer:
Considering the mirrored and end focused structure that links EGIK to YWUS, the most consistent completion for FHJL among the given options is ZXYT.
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