In the pattern XXXXXO, XXXXOX, XXXOXX, XXOXXX, XOXXXX, which of the following options should come next to correctly continue the shifting position of the letter O?

Introduction / Context:
This question involves a simple visual pattern using only the letters X and O. The series is XXXXXO, XXXXOX, XXXOXX, XXOXXX, XOXXXX, ?. The challenge is to determine the next term by tracking where the single O appears in each term. This kind of question checks a candidate's ability to follow positional changes of a character in a fixed length string, which is a common skill in non verbal and alphabet based reasoning questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Each term in the series has six characters.• There is exactly one O and five X characters in each term.• The position of O changes from term to term in a systematic way.• The known terms are: XXXXXO, XXXXOX, XXXOXX, XXOXXX, XOXXXX.

Concept / Approach:
The primary idea is to index positions from left to right and note the location of the letter O in each term. Once we have the positions as numbers, we can examine how these positions change between consecutive terms. Given that there is only a single O, it is reasonable to expect that it moves steadily across the string in some direction. By identifying the direction and the magnitude of each movement, we can predict its next position and hence the form of the next string.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Label positions from left to right as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.Step 2: Determine the position of O in each term:• XXXXXO → O at position 6.• XXXXOX → O at position 5.• XXXOXX → O at position 4.• XXOXXX → O at position 3.• XOXXXX → O at position 2.Step 3: We can see that O is moving one step to the left in each successive term.Step 4: After position 2, the next position for O in this leftward movement must be position 1.Step 5: A string with O at position 1 and X in the remaining positions 2 to 6 is OXXXXX.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can quickly check that the pattern is perfectly regular: starting from position 6, O moves to positions 5, 4, 3, 2 and then 1, without any jumps or reversals. The total number of characters and the count of X letters remain constant throughout. Among the options, OXXXXX is the only one that has O in the first position and all remaining characters as X, exactly matching the observed movement of O.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
OXXXXO contains two O characters, which breaks the rule that every term has exactly one O. OXXXOX also has more than one O and places them in positions that do not align with the observed single step leftward movement. XXXXXX does not contain any O at all and thus does not continue the pattern of a single O sliding across the row of X letters. Therefore, none of these alternatives can be considered a valid next term in the series.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may miscount positions or misread the string, thinking the O moves in a more complicated pattern. Others may overlook the fact that the number of O characters remains constant at one and choose a string with two O letters because it visually resembles a previous term. A careful, position by position check of all given strings helps avoid these mistakes and quickly confirms that OXXXXX is the only logical continuation.

Final Answer:
OXXXXX