Solving the Sequence Manipulation Problem

The question asks us to analyze a given sequence, apply a specific transformation by dropping elements, and then find the fifth term from the right in the resulting sequence. The part of the sequence we need to focus on is from '1' till 'O' inclusive.

Identifying the Relevant Sequence Segment

The full sequence provided is A$1%MB#6&NC=3!OD+KP. We are interested in the segment starting from '1' and ending at 'O'. Let's extract this segment:

The segment is: 1%MB#6&NC=3!O

Let's list the elements and their positions in this segment:

• 1st: 1
• 2nd: %
• 3rd: M
• 4th: B
• 5th: #
• 6th: 6
• 7th: &
• 8th: N
• 9th: C
• 10th: =
• 11th: 3
• 12th: !
• 13th: O

There are a total of 13 elements in this segment.

Applying the Alternate Dropping Rule

The rule states that "every alternate letter or number or symbol is dropped" starting from the beginning of the segment (which is '1'). This is commonly interpreted as keeping the first element, dropping the second, keeping the third, dropping the fourth, and so on. In other words, we keep the elements at odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) and drop the elements at even positions (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.).

Let's apply this rule to our segment 1%MB#6&NC=3!O:

• Position 1 (Keep): 1
• Position 2 (Drop): %
• Position 3 (Keep): M
• Position 4 (Drop): B
• Position 5 (Keep): #
• Position 6 (Drop): 6
• Position 7 (Keep): &
• Position 8 (Drop): N
• Position 9 (Keep): C
• Position 10 (Drop): =
• Position 11 (Keep): 3
• Position 12 (Drop): !
• Position 13 (Keep): O

The elements that remain after dropping the alternate terms are 1, M, #, &, C, 3, and O.

The new sequence after dropping alternate elements is: 1M#&C3O

Finding the Fifth Term from the Right

Now, we need to find the fifth term starting from the right end of the new sequence 1M#&C3O.

Let's list the terms from right to left:

• 1st from right: O
• 2nd from right: 3
• 3rd from right: C
• 4th from right: &
• 5th from right: #

The fifth term from the right is #.

Therefore, the fifth term from the right in the modified sequence is #.

Revision Table: Sequence Analysis

Additional Information on Sequence Problems

Sequence and series problems often appear in logical reasoning and quantitative aptitude tests. They require careful observation of patterns and rules.

• Identifying the Pattern: The first step is usually to understand how the sequence is formed or how the transformation rule works.
• Applying the Rule: Carefully apply the given rule step-by-step to the specified part of the sequence.
• Counting from Ends: Pay close attention to whether you need to count from the left (beginning) or the right (end) of the sequence. Counting from the right means starting with the last element as the first term, the second to last as the second term, and so on.
• Sequence Types: Sequences can involve numbers, letters, symbols, or a combination of these. The rules can be based on position, value, type of element, or a combination.

Understanding these basic principles helps in tackling various sequence manipulation questions.