Reasoning: How to Solve Substitution Coding - Word Symbol, Number, Letter Replaces Another

Introduction "Mastering Substitution Coding can fetch you 20-30 marks in competitive exams, making it a must-know topic to crack the exam quickly and confidently."

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST To solve Substitution Coding questions, you need to have a basic understanding of:

1. Direction Chart: A chart that shows the direction of substitution, i.e., which symbol/number/letter replaces another.
2. BODMAS: The order of operations to follow when solving mathematical expressions, i.e., Brackets, Orders, Division, Multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction.
3. Sitting Arrangement Conventions: The rules that govern the arrangement of people in a room, such as alphabetical order, age order, etc.

CRYSTAL‑CLEAR METHOD (Step-by-Step) To solve Substitution Coding questions, follow these steps:

1. Read the question carefully: Understand the problem and the given substitution chart.
2. Identify the substitution chart: Look for the chart that shows the direction of substitution.
3. Find the key: Identify the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced.
4. Substitute the key: Replace the key symbol/number/letter with the corresponding symbol/number/letter from the chart.
5. Repeat the process: Continue substituting symbols/numbers/letters until you reach the final answer.
6. Check your answer: Verify that your answer matches the given options.

WORKED EXAMPLES

Example 1 – Easy Question: In a certain code, A is represented by 1, B is represented by 2, and C is represented by 3. What is the code for the word 'CAT'?

Solution:

1. Read the question carefully: Understand that A is represented by 1, B is represented by 2, and C is represented by 3.
2. Identify the substitution chart: The chart is given in the question.
3. Find the key: Identify the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced, which is A, B, and C.
4. Substitute the key: Replace A with 1, B with 2, and C with 3.
5. Repeat the process: Continue substituting symbols/numbers/letters until you reach the final answer.
6. Check your answer: Verify that the code for the word 'CAT' is 13.

What we learned: To solve simple substitution coding questions, we need to identify the substitution chart, find the key, and substitute the key with the corresponding symbol/number/letter.

Example 2 – Medium Question: In a certain code, the first letter of each word is represented by a number, and the second letter is represented by a symbol. The code is as follows:

A → 1, B → 2, C → 3 1 → @, 2 → #, 3 → $

The code for the word 'CAT' is given as 13. What is the code for the word 'BIRD'?

Solution:

1. Read the question carefully: Understand that the first letter of each word is represented by a number, and the second letter is represented by a symbol.
2. Identify the substitution chart: The chart is given in the question.
3. Find the key: Identify the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced, which is A, B, C, 1, 2, and 3.
4. Substitute the key: Replace A with 1, B with 2, C with 3, 1 with @, 2 with #, and 3 with $.
5. Repeat the process: Continue substituting symbols/numbers/letters until you reach the final answer.
6. Check your answer: Verify that the code for the word 'BIRD' is # $ @ 2 3.

What we learned: To solve medium-level substitution coding questions, we need to identify the substitution chart, find the key, and substitute the key with the corresponding symbol/number/letter, considering the given conditions.

Example 3 – Exam-Style Question: In a certain code, the first letter of each word is represented by a number, and the second letter is represented by a symbol. The code is as follows:

A → 1, B → 2, C → 3 1 → @, 2 → #, 3 → $

The code for the word 'CAT' is given as 13. What is the code for the word 'BIRD'?

Solution:

1. Read the question carefully: Understand that the first letter of each word is represented by a number, and the second letter is represented by a symbol.
2. Identify the substitution chart: The chart is given in the question.
3. Find the key: Identify the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced, which is A, B, C, 1, 2, and 3.
4. Substitute the key: Replace A with 1, B with 2, C with 3, 1 with @, 2 with #, and 3 with $.
5. Repeat the process: Continue substituting symbols/numbers/letters until you reach the final answer.
6. Check your answer: Verify that the code for the word 'BIRD' is # $ @ 2 3.

What we learned: To solve exam-style substitution coding questions, we need to identify the substitution chart, find the key, and substitute the key with the corresponding symbol/number/letter, considering the given conditions and time pressure.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH 1. Not reading the question carefully: Not understanding the problem and the given substitution chart. Correct approach: Read the question carefully and understand the problem and the given substitution chart. 2. Not identifying the substitution chart: Not recognizing the chart that shows the direction of substitution. Correct approach: Identify the substitution chart and understand the direction of substitution. 3. Not finding the key: Not identifying the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced. Correct approach: Find the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced and substitute it with the corresponding symbol/number/letter. 4. Not repeating the process: Not continuing to substitute symbols/numbers/letters until reaching the final answer. Correct approach: Repeat the process of substituting symbols/numbers/letters until reaching the final answer. 5. Not checking the answer: Not verifying that the answer matches the given options. Correct approach: Check the answer and verify that it matches the given options.

EXAM TRAPS

Trap → How to Spot it → How to Avoid it 1. Trick substitution chart: A chart that appears to be a substitution chart but is actually a trick. How to spot it: Look for inconsistencies in the chart or unusual patterns. How to avoid it: Be cautious when encountering a chart that appears to be a substitution chart but is actually a trick. 2. Hidden conditions: Conditions that are not explicitly stated but are required to solve the question. How to spot it: Look for clues or hints that suggest there are hidden conditions. How to avoid it: Read the question carefully and look for clues or hints that suggest there are hidden conditions. 3. Multiple substitution charts: Multiple charts that appear to be substitution charts but are actually different charts. How to spot it: Look for inconsistencies in the charts or unusual patterns. How to avoid it: Be cautious when encountering multiple charts that appear to be substitution charts but are actually different charts.

TIME-SAVING SHORTCUTS

1. Elimination trick: Eliminate options that are clearly incorrect based on the given substitution chart.
2. Diagram hack: Use a diagram to visualize the substitution chart and identify patterns or inconsistencies.
3. Key symbol/number/letter identification: Identify the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced and substitute it with the corresponding symbol/number/letter.

1-Minute Recap "Alright, let's recap the strategy for solving Substitution Coding questions. First, read the question carefully and understand the problem and the given substitution chart. Next, identify the substitution chart and find the key symbol/number/letter that is being replaced. Then, substitute the key with the corresponding symbol/number/letter and repeat the process until reaching the final answer. Finally, check the answer and verify that it matches the given options. Remember to be cautious of trick substitution charts, hidden conditions, and multiple substitution charts. Use elimination tricks, diagram hacks, and key symbol/number/letter identification to save time. With practice and patience, you'll master Substitution Coding and crack the exam quickly and confidently."