Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: ZBD
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a letter analogy question in which you must identify the relationship between two groups of letters and then apply the same pattern to a new group. The given pair is ACE and YAC, and you are asked to determine which group of letters should correspond to BDF. Such problems test your understanding of alphabet positions, forward and backward shifts, and simple coding patterns frequently used in reasoning sections of competitive exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The first group of letters is ACE.
The second group of letters paired with it is YAC.
The new starting group is BDF, and we must find the matching group from the options.
The options are PRS, XYA, ZBD, FDB, and WCE, of which only one should follow the same pattern as from ACE to YAC.
Concept / Approach:
In letter analogies, we normally convert each letter to its alphabet position and then look for a consistent shift. The English alphabet positions are A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, and so on up to Z = 26. Once we find a fixed rule, such as moving a certain number of steps forward or backward (with wrap around from A to Z), we apply that rule to the new group BDF to obtain the answer. Here, the pattern from ACE to YAC can be captured by shifting each letter two places backward in the alphabet while wrapping around where needed.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write down the positions of ACE: A = 1, C = 3, E = 5.Step 2: Write down the positions of YAC: Y = 25, A = 1, C = 3.Step 3: Compare A (1) to Y (25). Moving two steps backward from A gives Z (26) and then Y (25), so this is a shift of minus 2 with wrap around.Step 4: Compare C (3) to A (1). Again, 3 minus 2 equals 1, so this is a shift of minus 2.Step 5: Compare E (5) to C (3). Similarly, 5 minus 2 equals 3, another shift of minus 2.Step 6: Therefore the pattern from ACE to YAC is: each letter is moved two positions backward in the alphabet.Step 7: Apply the same rule to BDF. Positions are B = 2, D = 4, F = 6. Subtract 2 from each: 2 minus 2 = 0 which wraps to 26 or Z, 4 minus 2 = 2 or B, and 6 minus 2 = 4 or D. Thus we get ZBD.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify quickly by performing the transformation mentally. Take BDF, move each letter two steps back: B back to A and then to Z, giving Z, D back to C and then to B, and F back to E and then to D. The resulting group is ZBD, which exactly matches one of the options. No other option corresponds to a uniform shift of minus 2 across all three positions, so ZBD is uniquely correct.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option PRS does not match the required backward shift pattern from BDF and involves completely different letters without a consistent step change from B, D, and F.
Option XYA is not obtained by shifting each letter of BDF by the same amount in one direction, and its internal pattern does not mirror that of YAC either.
Option FDB simply rearranges letters already present in BDF, so it shows no consistent positional shift like minus 2 and therefore breaks the analogy structure.
Option WCE also does not result from a uniform backward shift of B, D, and F and therefore fails to preserve the relationship we observed in the original pair ACE and YAC.
Common Pitfalls:
Many test takers try to memorise letter patterns without using alphabet positions, which makes it hard to detect wrap around shifts like A moving backward to Y. Another common error is to apply different shifts to different letters instead of finding a single consistent rule. Always start by mapping letters to numbers and checking if the same addition or subtraction works for all positions. This disciplined approach prevents confusion and reduces guesswork.
Final Answer:
To maintain the same letter shift pattern as ACE : YAC, the group that should correspond to BDF is ZBD.
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