Which letter will replace the question mark (?) in the following letter series? E, J, N, Q, S, ?
T
Understanding Letter Series and Patterns
This question asks us to identify the next letter in a given letter series: E, J, N, Q, S, ?. To solve this type of problem, we need to look for a pattern or rule that connects the letters in the series.
Analyzing the Letter Series Pattern
Let's examine the difference in position between consecutive letters in the English alphabet. We can assign a numerical value to each letter (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26).
| Letter | Alphabetical Position |
|---|---|
| E | 5 |
| J | 10 |
| N | 14 |
| Q | 17 |
| S | 19 |
| ? | ? |
Now, let's find the difference in position between each consecutive pair of letters:
- From E to J: J is at position 10, E is at position 5. The difference is $10 - 5 = 5$.
- From J to N: N is at position 14, J is at position 10. The difference is $14 - 10 = 4$.
- From N to Q: Q is at position 17, N is at position 14. The difference is $17 - 14 = 3$.
- From Q to S: S is at position 19, Q is at position 17. The difference is $19 - 17 = 2$.
Let's list the differences we found:
Differences: 5, 4, 3, 2
Identifying the Rule of the Letter Series
Looking at the sequence of differences (5, 4, 3, 2), we can observe a clear pattern: the difference between consecutive letters is decreasing by 1 each time. Following this pattern, the next difference in the series should be $2 - 1 = 1$.
Finding the Missing Letter
To find the letter that replaces the question mark (?), we need to add the next difference (1) to the alphabetical position of the last letter in the given series, which is S (position 19).
Position of next letter = Position of S + Next difference
Position of next letter = $19 + 1 = 20$
The letter at the 20th position in the English alphabet is T.
Therefore, the letter that replaces the question mark (?) in the series E, J, N, Q, S, ? is T.
Revision Table: Letter Series Analysis
| Step | Letters | Alphabetical Positions | Difference | Pattern Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E, J | 5, 10 | $10 - 5 = 5$ | Difference is 5 |
| 2 | J, N | 10, 14 | $14 - 10 = 4$ | Difference is 4 |
| 3 | N, Q | 14, 17 | $17 - 14 = 3$ | Difference is 3 |
| 4 | Q, S | 17, 19 | $19 - 17 = 2$ | Difference is 2 |
| 5 | S, ? | 19, ? | Next difference = $2 - 1 = 1$ | Difference decreases by 1 each step |
| 6 | ? | $19 + 1 = 20$ | - | Position of next letter is 20 |
| Result | Letter at position 20 | T | - | Missing letter is T |
Additional Information on Letter Series Questions
Letter series questions are common in logical reasoning tests. They require identifying the underlying pattern which can be based on various rules:
- Adding a constant number to the alphabetical position.
- Subtracting a constant number from the alphabetical position.
- Adding or subtracting a variable number (like the pattern in this question where the difference changes).
- Skipping letters based on a pattern (e.g., skipping 1 letter, then 2, then 3).
- Patterns involving consonants or vowels.
- Reverse alphabetical order.
- Combining patterns (e.g., skipping a decreasing number of letters).
Practicing different types of letter series helps in quickly recognizing the pattern during exams.
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