Solving Letter Analogy Questions

Letter analogy questions test your ability to find the relationship between a given pair of letters or groups of letters and apply the same relationship to another group of letters to find the missing term. In this question, we are given the analogy BGMR : DIOT :: SNOV : ?

Our task is to figure out the pattern connecting BGMR to DIOT and then use that same pattern to find the letters that correspond to SNOV.

Pattern Analysis: BGMR and DIOT

Let's look at the position of each letter in the English alphabet:

• A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9, J=10, K=11, L=12, M=13, N=14, O=15, P=16, Q=17, R=18, S=19, T=20, U=21, V=22, W=23, X=24, Y=25, Z=26.

Now, let's compare the letters in BGMR and DIOT based on their positions:

• First letter: B (position 2) becomes D (position 4). The difference is $\text{4 - 2 = +2}$.
• Second letter: G (position 7) becomes I (position 9). The difference is $\text{9 - 7 = +2}$.
• Third letter: M (position 13) becomes O (position 15). The difference is $\text{15 - 13 = +2}$.
• Fourth letter: R (position 18) becomes T (position 20). The difference is $\text{20 - 18 = +2}$.

The pattern observed is that each letter in the first group (BGMR) is shifted two positions forward in the alphabet to get the corresponding letter in the second group (DIOT). The pattern is $\text{+2}$ for each letter.

Applying the Pattern to SNOV

Now we apply the same $\text{+2}$ pattern to the letters in SNOV:

• First letter: S (position 19). Moving two positions forward: $\text{19 + 2 = 21}$. The 21st letter is U.
• Second letter: N (position 14). Moving two positions forward: $\text{14 + 2 = 16}$. The 16th letter is P.
• Third letter: O (position 15). Moving two positions forward: $\text{15 + 2 = 17}$. The 17th letter is Q.
• Fourth letter: V (position 22). Moving two positions forward: $\text{22 + 2 = 24}$. The 24th letter is X.

Applying the $\text{+2}$ pattern to SNOV gives us the letters UPQX.

Determining the Related Letters

Following the established pattern from BGMR to DIOT, the letters related to SNOV are UPQX.

Revision Table: Letter Transformations

Here is a summary of the letter transformations:

Additional Information on Letter Analogies

Letter analogy questions can have various patterns. Some common patterns include:

• Position Shift: Adding or subtracting a fixed number from the letter's position (like in this question). The shift can be positive or negative.
• Multiple Shifts: The shift might change for each letter in the group (e.g., +1, +2, +3, +4).
• Reverse Order: The letters might be reversed.
• Skipping Letters: The pattern might involve skipping a certain number of letters.
• Consonants/Vowels: The pattern might relate to whether a letter is a consonant or a vowel.
• Reverse Alphabetical Order: Patterns based on the alphabet written backward (Z=1, Y=2, ...).

To solve these problems effectively, it's helpful to know the alphabetical position of each letter quickly and to systematically test different possible patterns.