Understanding Letter Analogy Reasoning

In letter analogy questions, you are given a pair of letter groups that have a specific relationship. You need to identify this relationship and apply it to a third letter group to find a fourth letter group that completes the analogy. These relationships often involve patterns based on the position of letters in the English alphabet.

The given analogy is: MPZ : GJT :: HNU : ?

We need to find the relationship between MPZ and GJT and then apply the same relationship to HNU.

Analyzing the Relationship Between MPZ and GJT

Let's examine the position of each letter in the alphabet:

• M is the 13th letter. G is the 7th letter. The difference is $13 - 7 = 6$. (G is 6 positions before M)
• P is the 16th letter. J is the 10th letter. The difference is $16 - 10 = 6$. (J is 6 positions before P)
• Z is the 26th letter. T is the 20th letter. The difference is $26 - 20 = 6$. (T is 6 positions before Z)

The pattern found is that each letter in GJT is obtained by shifting the corresponding letter in MPZ backwards by 6 positions in the alphabet.

Applying the Pattern to HNU

Now, we apply the same rule (shifting 6 positions backward) to each letter in HNU:

• H is the 8th letter. Shifting 6 positions backward: $8 - 6 = 2$. The 2nd letter is B.
• N is the 14th letter. Shifting 6 positions backward: $14 - 6 = 8$. The 8th letter is H.
• U is the 21st letter. Shifting 6 positions backward: $21 - 6 = 15$. The 15th letter is O.

So, applying the pattern to HNU gives us BHO.

Therefore, the missing term in the analogy HNU : ? is BHO.

Revision Table: Types of Letter Reasoning Patterns

Understanding common patterns can help solve letter analogy questions faster:

• Positional Shifts: Adding or subtracting a fixed number to the letter's position.
• Reverse Alphabetical Order: Using the alphabet in reverse (Z=1, Y=2, etc.).
• Skipping Letters: Following a sequence that skips a specific number of letters.
• Consonant/Vowel Patterns: Grouping or sequencing based on vowels and consonants.
• Sum or Difference of Positions: Relationship based on the sum or difference of letter positions within a group.

Additional Information: Enhancing Reasoning Skills

To improve performance in reasoning sections, regular practice is key. Familiarize yourself with the alphabetical position of each letter (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26). Try to identify the pattern quickly by comparing the first two terms. Always verify the pattern with all corresponding letters before applying it to the third term.