In a code, MANGO = NZOHQ, what is APPLE?

Appeared in: NORCET 1 - 2020

Explanation

The core of the problem is a positional coding pattern where each letter in a word is shifted based on its position.
The pattern derived from MANGO = NZOHQ is a sequence of shifts: +1, -1, +1, +1, +2.
Applying the first four shifts (+1, -1, +1, +1) to APPLE gives BOQM.
Option D, BOQMF, is the only choice that begins with BOQM, making it the best fit despite a slight inconsistency in the final letter's shift (+1 instead of the expected +2).

Option A: This option incorrectly shifts the second letter 'P' by +1 to 'Q'. The pattern requires a -1 shift for the second letter (P -> O).
Option B: This option has multiple errors. The second letter 'P' is incorrectly shifted by +1 to 'Q', and the fourth letter 'L' is incorrectly shifted by +5 to 'Q' (instead of +1 to 'M').
Option C: This option incorrectly shifts the second letter 'P' by +1 to 'Q' and fails to shift the fourth letter 'L' at all.

Visual 1: Flowchart: A flowchart could visually demonstrate the step-by-step process: 1. Analyze MANGO -> NZOHQ to find the positional shifts (+1, -1, +1, +1, +2). 2. Apply this sequence of shifts to the letters of APPLE. 3. Compare the result with the given options to find the closest match.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Logical Reasoning: Coding-Decoding by letter position as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general intelligence and reasoning question, not related to clinical nursing practice.
Skills in logical deduction and pattern recognition are valuable in problem-solving, a core competency in nursing, but this specific question does not test clinical knowledge.
What if the question was about medical acronyms? Then, knowledge of medical terminology would be essential, unlike this abstract reasoning problem.

How to Approach the Question

First, carefully examine the given example (MANGO = NZOHQ) to identify the underlying rule or pattern.
Write down the letters of the alphabet to easily calculate the shifts. Determine the numerical shift for each letter's position (e.g., M is the 13th letter, N is the 14th, so the shift is +1).
Establish the complete pattern for all positions in the word (e.g., +1, -1, +1, +1, +2).
Apply this exact pattern to the new word (APPLE) step-by-step.
Compare your resulting code with the given options.
If there's no exact match, re-evaluate. Find the option that matches the pattern most closely, as there might be a slight error or inconsistency in the question's design.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q6aFR6S9vTzWOo8M5iXwAQ

Practise the full NORCET 1 - 2020

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.