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Question

Difficulty: MediumAnalogy and Classification

Select the letter-cluster that is related to the third letter-cluster in the same way that the second letter-cluster is related to the first letter-cluster.

TASK : XYWI :: POND : ?

  1. TMRBAnswer
  2. B
    TSRH
  3. C
    LQJF
  4. D
    RKPZ

Answer

The correct letter-cluster is TMRB.
The relationship between the first and second letter-clusters follows an alternating alphabetical shift pattern. The first and third letters are shifted forward by 4 positions (+4), while the second and fourth letters are shifted backward by 2 positions (-2), with standard circular alphabetical wrap-around. Applying this identical +4, -2, +4, -2 sequence to the letters P, O, N, and D yields T, M, R, and B respectively.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the positional shifts between the first pair of letter-clusters: TASK and XYWI.
T(20) to X(24) is +4. A(1 or 27) to Y(25) is -2. S(19) to W(23) is +4. K(11) to I(9) is -2.
Establishing the underlying logical rule requires checking the step interval for every individual letter to ensure the full pattern is identified.
2
Determine the unified rule governing the analogy.
The alternating shift sequence is +4, -2, +4, -2.
This confirms that the transformation is not a uniform shift, but an alternating forward and backward arithmetic progression.
3
Apply the identical +4, -2, +4, -2 pattern to the target letter-cluster: POND.
P(16) + 4 = T(20). O(15) - 2 = M(13). N(14) + 4 = R(18). D(4) - 2 = B(2).
To maintain the analogical relationship, the exact sequence of operations must be applied to the new group.

Key Concept

Alphabetical Positional Alternating Shifts
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Topics

Analogy and Classification

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