Letter-Number Coding

Letter-Number Coding is an important section of the reasoning ability questions. Here we will be focussing on the letter number coding section. Let us begin!

Letter-Number Coding

In these questions, either numerical code values are assigned to a word or alphabetical code letters are assigned to the numbers. The candidate is required to analyse the code as per the directions in the questions. Let us see some examples that will help us get a better understanding of this concept.

Type I – When numerical coding values are assigned to words

Part A

Q1: If in a certain language A is coded as 1, B is coded as 2, and so on, how is B I D D I C coded in that code?

a) 294493                  b) 284563                c) 375582                         d) 394492

Answer: As given the letters are coded as:

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I
1    2   3    4    5   6    7   8    9
So, in B I D D I C, B is coded as 2, I as 9, D as 4, and C as 3. Thus, B I D D I C is coded as 294493. Hence, the answer is (a).

Q2: If P A I N T is coded as 74128 and E X C E L is coded as 93596, then how would you encode A C C E P T?                     (L Tax, 1996)

a) 455978                    b) 547978                c) 554978                   d) 735961

Answer: Clearly, in the given code, the alphabets are coded as follows :
P        A       I        N        T         E      X         C       E        L
7        4        1        2         8         9      3          5       9        6

So, in A C C E P T. A is coded as 4, C as 5, E as 9, P as 7 and T as 8. Hence, the correct code is 455978 and, therefore, the answer is a).

Part B

Q3: If D is coded as 4 and C O V E R is coded as 63, then BASIS will be coded as? (Assistant Grade. 1997)

a) 49                b) 50                  c) 54               d) 55

Answer: Clearly, in the given code, A = 1. B = 2, C = 3 …. so that C O V E R is coed as 3 + 15 + 22 + 5 + 18 = 63. [C + O + V + E + R]

Now, in B A S I S, B = 2, A = 1, S = 19, and I = 9. Thus, B A S I S will be coeded as 2 + 1 + 19 + 9 + 19 = 50. Hence, the answer is b).

Type II – Number to Letter Coding

In this type of coding, alphabetical code values are assigned to the numbers. Let us see some examples and try and understand the concepts and tricks.

Q1: In a certain code, 2 is coded as P, 3 as N, 9 as Q, 5 as R, 4 as A and 6 as B. How is 599423 coded in that code?

a) E I I D B C           b) R Q P A N B               c) E I M D B C              d) R Q Q A P N             e) R P P B Q N

Answer: Clearly, as given 5 is coded as R, 9 as Q, 4 as A, 2 as P and 3 as N. So, 599423 is coded as RQQAPN. Hence, the answer is (d).

Q2: In a certain code, 3456 is coded as ROPE, 15526 is coded as APPLE, then how is 54613 coded?

a) R P P E O            b) R O P E A                    c) P O E A R                d) P A R E O                 e) None of these

Answer: Clearly, in the given figures, the numbers are coded as follows:

3    4    5    6     1    2
R   O    P   E     A   L

Thus, 5 is coded as P, 4 as O, 6 as E, 1 as A and 3 as R. So, 54613 as coded as P O E A R. Hence, the answer is (c).

Miscellaneous Solved Examples

Q1: In a certain code, 15789 is written as X T Z A L and 2346 is written as N P S U. How is 23549 written in that code? (Bank P.O. 1989)

a) N P T U L             b) P N T S L                  c) N P T S L            d) N B T S L             e) None of these

Answer: The numbers are coded as shown:

1    5    7    8    9    2    3    4    6

X  T    Z   A    L    N   P    S    U

Thus, 2 is coded as N, 3 as P, 5 as T, 4 as S and 9 as L. So, 23549 is coded as N P T S L and the correct answer is c) N P T S L

Q2: If M O B I L I T Y is coded as 46293927, then E X A M I N A T I O N is coded as? (Assistant Grade, 1998; S. S. C. 1993)

a) 45038401854                 b) 56149512965                   c) 57159413955                d) 67250623076

Answer: Let A = 1, B = 2, C = 3,…. X = 24, Y = 25, Z = 26. Then, M = 13 = 1 + 3 = 4; O = 15 =1 + 5 = 6;
L = 12= 1 + 2 = 3; T = 20 = 2 + 0 = 2; and Y = 25 = 2 + 5 = 7.

So, M O B I L I T Y =46293927. Similarly, E X A M I N A T I O N = 56149512965 and the correct answer is b).

Practice Questions For You

Q1: If P A L A M could be given the code number 43, what code number can be given to S A N T A C R U Z? (Assistant Grade, 1995)

a) 75             b) 85               c) 120                 d) 123

Answer: d) 123

Q2: If M A S T E R is coded as 411259, then P O W D E R will be coded as?

a) 7 65439             b) 765439                   c) 7 65459                  d) 7 65549   (L Tax & Central Excise, 1995)

Answer: c) 7 65459.