Understanding Coding Decoding Questions

Coding and decoding questions are common in competitive exams. They test your ability to decipher a rule or pattern used to code a word or message and then apply that rule to decode or code another word or message. In this specific question, we are given two examples of words coded into symbols.

Analyzing the Given Code Language

We are given the following coding rules:

• 'DESK' is coded as '@#+%'
• 'RAIN' is coded as '$-×*'

This type of coding is usually direct substitution, where each letter in the original word is directly replaced by a corresponding symbol (or another letter/number) in the coded word. To confirm this, let's try to map the letters to the symbols from the given examples.

Mapping Letters to Symbols

From 'DESK' coded as '@#+%', we can establish the following mappings:

• D → @
• E → #
• S → +
• K → %

From 'RAIN' coded as '$-×*', we can establish these mappings:

• R → $
• A → -
• I → ×
• N → *

We can combine these mappings into a table for clarity:

Coding the Word 'RISK'

Now we need to find the code for the word 'RISK'. We will use the mappings we derived from the given coded words. The word 'RISK' consists of the letters R, I, S, and K.

• The code for 'R' is $ (from RAIN).
• The code for 'I' is × (from RAIN).
• The code for 'S' is + (from DESK).
• The code for 'K' is % (from DESK).

Putting these symbols together in the order of the letters in 'RISK', we get:

R → $

I → ×

S → +

K → %

So, 'RISK' is coded as $×+%.

Comparing with Options

Let's compare the derived code '$×+%' with the given options:

• Option 1: $×+%
• Option 2: +-÷%
• Option 3: #+%@
• Option 4: S#%×

The code we found for 'RISK' is $×+%, which exactly matches Option 1.

Conclusion on Coding Decoding

In this direct substitution coding problem, the code for each letter remains consistent regardless of the word it appears in. By extracting the individual letter codes from the given examples, we could accurately code the new word 'RISK'.

Revision Table: Key Concepts

Additional Information: Types of Coding Decoding

Besides direct substitution based on symbols, coding decoding questions can involve various other patterns:

• Letter Coding: Letters are replaced by other letters based on alphabetical position (e.g., shifting letters forward or backward).
• Number Coding: Words are coded using numbers, often based on the numerical position of letters in the alphabet.
• Symbol Coding: Letters are replaced by symbols, as seen in this question.
• Mixed Coding: A mix of letters, numbers, and symbols is used.
• Sentence Coding: Entire sentences are coded, often requiring you to identify common words or phrases to break the code.

Practicing different types helps in quickly identifying the pattern in coding decoding problems.