In the following question, select the related letters from the given alternatives. DHPQ : ZDLM :: SWIY : ?
OSEU
Solving Letter Analogy Problems
This question asks us to find the related letters based on the relationship shown in the first pair: DHPQ is related to ZDLM. We need to identify the pattern and apply it to the second term, SWIY, to find the missing letters.
Analyzing the Pattern in DHPQ : ZDLM
Let's look at the position of each letter in the English alphabet:
- D is the 4th letter.
- H is the 8th letter.
- P is the 16th letter.
- Q is the 17th letter.
Now let's look at the letters in ZDLM:
- Z is the 26th letter.
- D is the 4th letter.
- L is the 12th letter.
- M is the 13th letter.
Comparing the positions of the corresponding letters:
- D (4) to Z (26): Going from D to Z involves moving backward in the alphabet. If we consider the alphabet as circular (A after Z), moving 4 steps backward from D (D → C → B → A → Z) lands us on Z. This is equivalent to $4 - 4 = 0$ for the first letter, but mapping 0 to Z which is the 26th letter. Alternatively, $4 - 4 = 0 \pmod{26}$. In letter position terms, $4 - 4 = 0$, and considering A=1, Z=26, we can think of $4 - 4 = 0 \equiv 26 \pmod{26}$, which is Z. A simpler way might be to say 4 steps back from D is Z.
- H (8) to D (4): $8 - 4 = 4$. The 4th letter is D.
- P (16) to L (12): $16 - 4 = 12$. The 12th letter is L.
- Q (17) to M (13): $17 - 4 = 13$. The 13th letter is M.
The pattern is consistent: each letter in the second term is obtained by subtracting 4 from the alphabetical position of the corresponding letter in the first term. For the first letter, D (4) - 4 = 0, which wraps around to Z (26 or effectively 0 in a modulo 26 system starting A=1). For other letters, it's a direct subtraction.
Applying the Pattern to SWIY
Now we apply the same 'subtract 4 from position' pattern to SWIY:
- S is the 19th letter. $19 - 4 = 15$. The 15th letter is O.
- W is the 23rd letter. $23 - 4 = 19$. The 19th letter is S.
- I is the 9th letter. $9 - 4 = 5$. The 5th letter is E.
- Y is the 25th letter. $25 - 4 = 21$. The 21st letter is U.
Combining these letters, we get OSEU.
Therefore, SWIY is related to OSEU in the same way that DHPQ is related to ZDLM.
Comparing with Options
Let's check the given options:
- OSEU
- OSUE
- OESU
- OTDV
Our calculated result, OSEU, matches Option 1.
| First Term (DHPQ) | Position | Operation | Result Position | Second Term (ZDLM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 4 | $4 - 4 = 0$ (wraps to 26) | 26 | Z |
| H | 8 | $8 - 4 = 4$ | 4 | D |
| P | 16 | $16 - 4 = 12$ | 12 | L |
| Q | 17 | $17 - 4 = 13$ | 13 | M |
| First Term (SWIY) | Position | Operation | Result Position | Second Term (?) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 19 | $19 - 4 = 15$ | 15 | O |
| W | 23 | $23 - 4 = 19$ | 19 | S |
| I | 9 | $9 - 4 = 5$ | 5 | E |
| Y | 25 | $25 - 4 = 21$ | 21 | U |
The related letters for SWIY are OSEU.
Revision Table: Letter Analogy Recap
| Concept | Description | Application in this problem |
|---|---|---|
| Letter Position | The numerical order of a letter in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26). | Used to convert letters to numbers for calculation ($D=4, H=8$, etc.). |
| Pattern Identification | Finding the rule or relationship between the first pair of terms. | Identified the '$ - 4$' rule for each letter's position. |
| Pattern Application | Applying the identified rule to the second term to find the answer. | Applied the '$ - 4$' rule to SWIY (S=19, W=23, I=9, Y=25) to get OSEU (O=15, S=19, E=5, U=21). |
| Alphabet Wrap-around | When subtracting goes below 1 (like D-4), the alphabet wraps from Z back to A. $4-4=0$ corresponds to the position before A, which is Z. | Handled D (4) mapping to Z (26/0). |
Additional Information: Types of Letter Analogies
Letter analogies are common in reasoning tests. They can involve various patterns, such as:
- Position Shift: Adding or subtracting a fixed number from the position of each letter (like in this problem).
- Reverse Position Shift: Adding or subtracting a number, but perhaps the number changes for each letter, or the direction (+/-) changes.
- Opposite Letters: Relating letters equidistant from the start and end of the alphabet (A is opposite Z, B is opposite Y, etc.).
- Skipping Letters: A pattern based on skipping a certain number of letters in between.
- Vowel/Consonant Patterns: Relationships based on whether letters are vowels or consonants.
- Combination of Patterns: Sometimes, a combination of the above rules is used.
Solving letter analogies requires practice in quickly recalling letter positions and testing different potential patterns systematically.
Important Questions from Letter Based
Select the option that is related to the third letter-cluster in the same way as the second letter-cluster is related to the first letter-cluster.
PDK : QFN :: SJQ : ?
Select the option that is related to the third term in the same way as the second term is related to the first term.
FASTER : AEFRST :: KINGDOM : ?
Select the option that is related to the third term in the same way as the second term is related to the first term.
PRACTISE : ACEIPRST :: TECHNOLOGY : ?
Select the option that is related to the third letter-cluster in the same way as the second letter-cluster is related to the first letter cluster.
RJB : TGF :: QPG : ?
Select the option that is related to the third word in the same way as the second word is related to the first word. (The words must be considered as meaningful English words and must not be related to each other based on the number of letters/number of consonants/vowels in the word.)
Ant ∶ Antling ∶ ∶ Deer ∶ ?
