Letters analogy: “BE is related to FI and LO is related to PS in the same way as RU is related to ______”. Choose the pair of letters that follows the same pattern of alphabetic shifts.

Introduction / Context:
This is a letter analogy question that tests your ability to track systematic movement through the alphabet. You are given two examples of how pairs of letters are transformed: “BE” becomes “FI”, and “LO” becomes “PS”. You must recognise this pattern and then apply it to the pair “RU” to find the correct related pair among the options.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First example: BE is related to FI. • Second example: LO is related to PS. • Target pair: RU. • Options: VY, WZ, VZ, VX. • We assume the standard English alphabet positions: A = 1, B = 2, ..., Z = 26.

Concept / Approach:
Letter analogies usually involve adding or subtracting a fixed number of positions in the alphabet. To discover the pattern, we handle each letter position separately. We observe how B changes to F and how E changes to I, then confirm that the same pattern is used in the second example LO to PS. Once this rule is known, we apply it to the letters R and U to find the correct output.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Convert BE to numbers. B is position 2, E is position 5. FI is F (6) and I (9). Step 2: Observe the changes. From B (2) to F (6), the shift is +4. From E (5) to I (9), again the shift is +4. So each letter is moved forward by four places in the alphabet. Step 3: Check the second example LO to PS. L is 12 and P is 16; this is +4. O is 15 and S is 19; this is also +4. So the rule “add 4 to each letter” works for both examples. Step 4: Apply this rule to RU. R is 18, U is 21. Adding 4: 18 + 4 = 22, which is V, and 21 + 4 = 25, which is Y. Step 5: Therefore RU should be related to VY.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can quickly verify by writing down the sequence around each letter. For R, the next four letters are S, T, U, V. For U, the next four letters are V, W, X, Y. The final letters after four steps are V and Y respectively. Check the options: only VY fits this combination. This confirms that the analogy uses a simple constant shift of +4 positions for each letter in the pair.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• WZ: W is 23 and Z is 26, which would correspond to shifts of +5 for R and +5 for U, not the required +4. • VZ: V is correct for the first letter but Z is position 26, which would mean a shift of +5 from U, again breaking the pattern. • VX: V is correct for the first letter but X is 24, which is only +3 from U. This does not match the constant +4 movement used in the examples.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes candidates notice the correct first letter but ignore the second letter or do not verify that the shift is constant for both letters in each pair. Another frequent error is to miscount steps in the alphabet when doing mental arithmetic. Writing down the alphabet or explicitly counting each move can prevent such small but costly mistakes in letter analogy questions.

Final Answer:
The pair of letters that RU is related to in the same way BE is related to FI and LO to PS is VY.