This question asks us to understand a specific coding pattern used to transform one set of letters into another and then apply that same pattern to a new word, 'LOSS'. We are given that 'ABC DEF' is written as 'ZYX WVU'. Our task is to find out how 'LOSS' would be written in this code.

Analyzing the Coding Pattern: ABC DEF to ZYX WVU

Let's look closely at the relationship between the original letters ('ABC DEF') and their coded forms ('ZYX WVU'). We can examine the positions of these letters in the standard English alphabet.

From the table, we can see a clear pattern. Each letter in the original phrase is replaced by a letter such that the sum of their alphabetical positions is 27. This corresponds to replacing each letter with its counterpart from the reverse alphabetical order (A with Z, B with Y, and so on).

This type of coding is a form of substitution cipher, specifically using a reverse alphabetical mapping.

Applying the Pattern to Decode LOSS

Now we apply this same reverse alphabetical pattern to the word 'LOSS'. We will find the coded letter for each letter in 'LOSS' by finding the letter whose alphabetical position sums up to 27 with the original letter's position.

• L: The letter L is the 12th letter of the alphabet. We need a letter whose position is $27 - 12 = 15$. The 15th letter is O.
• O: The letter O is the 15th letter of the alphabet. We need a letter whose position is $27 - 15 = 12$. The 12th letter is L.
• S: The letter S is the 19th letter of the alphabet. We need a letter whose position is $27 - 19 = 8$. The 8th letter is H.
• S: The letter S is the 19th letter of the alphabet. We need a letter whose position is $27 - 19 = 8$. The 8th letter is H.

Combining the coded letters for L, O, S, and S, we get OLHH.

Checking the Options

Let's compare our result 'OLHH' with the given options:

• Option 1: OLHH
• Option 2: OWHH
• Option 3: OMHH
• Option 4: OHLL

Our calculated code for 'LOSS' is 'OLHH', which matches Option 1.

Revision Table: Key Coding Concepts

Additional Information on Letter Coding

Letter coding is a common type of question in logical reasoning. It tests your ability to identify patterns and apply rules consistently. Here are some other patterns you might encounter:

• Shift Cipher: Each letter is shifted a fixed number of positions forward or backward in the alphabet (e.g., A becomes D, B becomes E - a shift of +3).
• Mixed Alphabet Cipher: The coding alphabet is jumbled according to a keyword or a simple rule.
• Opposite Letter Coding: Similar to the reverse alphabetical order used here, but sometimes the term might refer to different specific pairings.
• Vowel/Consonant based coding: Patterns might apply differently to vowels and consonants.
• Position-based coding: The coding might depend on the position of the letter within the word (e.g., the first letter is shifted by +1, the second by +2, etc.).

Solving letter coding problems often involves writing down the alphabet and its positions, or even writing the alphabet forward and backward to spot the relationship easily.