Coding–Decoding (Reasoning) – Theory Notes
Coding–Decoding is an important topic in logical reasoning sections of competitive exams such as SSC,
Banking, Railway, and other aptitude tests. In these questions, a word, number, or sentence is converted
into a coded form according to a specific rule. The task is to understand the rule and apply it to decode or
encode another word or number.
1. Letter Coding
In letter coding, each letter in a word is replaced by another letter based on a pattern. The pattern may
involve shifting letters forward or backward in the alphabet. For example, a common rule is shifting each
letter by +1, +2, or −1 positions.
Common patterns:
1 Forward shift (example: A → B, B → C)
2 Backward shift (example: C → B, B → A)
3 Fixed pattern applied to every letter
2. Alphabet Position Coding
In this type, letters are converted into their alphabet positions. Each alphabet has a numerical position
from 1 to 26. Example: A=1, B=2, C=3 ... Z=26. Words can be coded by writing these numbers or by
performing mathematical operations with these positions.
Important reference points:
1 A=1
2 M = 13 (middle of the alphabet)
3 Z = 26
3. Reverse Alphabet Coding
Sometimes letters are replaced by their opposite letters in the alphabet. The reverse alphabet method
means A becomes Z, B becomes Y, C becomes X, and so on. A simple rule used here is: Reverse position
= 27 − original position.
1 A↔Z
2 B↔Y
3 C↔X
4 D↔W
4. Word Reversal Coding
In this pattern, the word is simply written in reverse order. For example, the word SMART may be coded as
TRAMS. Sometimes this rule is combined with other operations such as letter shifting.
5. Number Coding
In number coding, letters are converted into numbers and mathematical operations are applied. These
operations may include addition, subtraction, multiplication, or averaging of alphabet positions.
1 Sum of letter positions
2 Difference between positions
3 Multiplication or division patterns
6. Substitution Coding
Substitution coding replaces entire words with other words or symbols. In this type, you must identify which
word represents which coded word by comparing multiple coded sentences.
Example explanation:
If 'DOG' is written as 'CAT' and 'CAT' is written as 'LION', then the code for DOG becomes CAT. The rule
is direct substitution rather than alphabet manipulation.
7. Mixed Coding
Mixed coding combines two or more coding techniques together. For example, a word might first be
reversed and then each letter shifted forward by one position. These questions require careful observation
of multiple patterns.
Tips for Solving Coding–Decoding Questions
1 Check if letters are shifted forward or backward.
2 Look for alphabet position conversions.
3 Check whether the word is reversed.
4 Look for numerical operations with letter values.
5 Compare multiple examples carefully before deciding the rule.
Regular practice is the key to mastering coding–decoding questions. Once you become familiar with
common patterns, you can identify the rule very quickly during exams.