Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: BAAC
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question presents a letter series formed mainly from A, B, and C with several positions left blank. You must choose one option whose letters, inserted sequentially into the blanks, restore a smooth and regular pattern. These problems are designed to test how effectively you can detect repetition and structure in short strings of symbols, an ability that supports many higher order reasoning tasks.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
We expect the final series to consist of repeated blocks of letters. The visible parts suggest that the combination ABBC might be significant, since A is frequently followed by B B C in parts of the sequence. Therefore we try each option to see whether the completed string decomposes into identical blocks of four letters. The correct option should yield a repetition of ABBC, which is a common construction in such letter series questions.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Mark the blanks at positions 2, 5, 9, and 12.
Step 2: Choose option A, which provides the letters B A A C.
Step 3: Fill the blanks to get: A B B C A B B C A B B C.
Step 4: Group the final sequence as ABBC ABBC ABBC.
Step 5: This clearly shows that ABBC is the repetitive unit, appearing three times in succession.
Step 6: No part of the completed series conflicts with this structure, confirming that option A is consistent with a single repeating block.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by checking that every group of four letters is exactly A B B C. Starting at position 1, the first four letters read ABBC. From position 5 to 8, we again see ABBC, and from position 9 to 12 we see ABBC one more time. There are no variations or mismatches. This perfect periodicity shows the series is completely determined by the ABBC block, which validates option A as the only correct choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (BBBC) leads to a string where a B B B C sequence appears in places that break the ABBC structure, so all blocks do not match. Option C (BABA) produces a mixture of patterns with alternating A and B that cannot be grouped into a simple repeated four letter unit. Option D (ABBC) also disturbs the implied ABBC repetition at some positions and fails to give three identical consecutive blocks. In each of these cases, the completed series lacks the clear and uniform repetition found with option A.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to fill the blanks based on local impressions, for instance trying to ensure that no two similar letters touch, without checking whether the entire series forms equal length repeating blocks. Another pitfall is to ignore the importance of the last few characters, which must still conform to the same pattern. Careful grouping and explicit comparison of each block helps avoid such errors and reveals the underlying ABBC repetition reliably.
Final Answer:
The correct set of letters is option A, BAAC, giving the series ABBC repeated three times.
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