Coding and Decoding

Coding and Decoding forms a dedicated part of the Reasoning Section in various
competitive exams but the level of questions differs in them. For example in SSC, the level
of questions in easy to medium while in IBPS exams, the level of questions is difficult. In
IBPS, coding and decoding questions comes under Machine Coding and Decoding Topic.

What is the approach to solve the questions of this section?

● Observe alphabets or numbers given in the code keenly.

● Find the sequence it follows whether it is ascending or descending.
● Detect the rule in which the alphabets/numbers/words follow.
● Fill the appropriate letter/number/word in the blank given.

Some Basics which we need to learn before solving the questions of this topic are:

● Letter position (A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4 …… Y=25, Z=26)

● Opposite position of letters (A=26, B=25 …… Z=1)
● Opposite of each letter (A is opposite to Z and B is opposite to Y and C is opposite to
X …… and so on)

Various types on which Coding and Decoding are classified are (as per Bank Exams):

● Letter Coding
● Substitution
● Mixed Letter Coding
● Mixed Number Coding

Let us analyse them in detail

LETTER CODING:

In this type, the real alphabets in a word are replaced by certain other alphabets according to
a specific rule to form its code. The candidate is required to detect the common rule and
answer the questions accordingly.

For Example:
In a certain code, “CODING” is written as “DPEJOH”. How will DECODING be written in that
code?

Explanation:

Compare 1st letter of CODING with 1st letter of DPEJOH.

C is converted to D.

You know C’s next letter in alphabets is D.

O’s next letter is P.

D’s next letter is E.

I’s next letter is J.

N’s next letter is O.

G’s next letter is H.

This was how CODING was converted to DPEJOH. Now in the same way you have to
convert DECODING.

So D is converted to E.

E-F, C-D, O-P, D-E, I-J, N-O, G-H

So DECODING should be converted to EFDPEJOH.

SUBSTITUTION:

In this section, object names are substituted with different object names. We should carefully
trace the substitution and answer the given question.

For Example:

If white is called blue, blue is called red, red is called yellow, yellow is called green, green is
called black, black is called violet and violet is called orange, what would be the colour of
human blood?

Explanation:
The colour of the human blood is ‘red’, and as it is given that ‘red’ is called ‘yellow’. So, the
colour of human blood is ‘yellow’.

MIXED LETTER CODING:

Example:

In a certain code language,

1. ‘pod na joc’ means ‘very bright boy';

2. ‘tam nu pod’ means ‘the boy comes';

3. ‘nu per ton’ means ‘keep the doll';

4. ‘joc ton su’ means ‘very good doll’.

Which of the following means ‘bright’ in the same code language?

1. joc 2. pod 3. ton 4. na [Link] of these

Ans: D

Explanation:

In statements (a) and (b), the common code word is ‘pod’ and the common word is ‘boy’.

So, ‘pod’ stands for ‘boy’.

In statements (a) and (d), the common code word is ‘joc’ and the common word is ‘very’.

So, ‘joc’ stands for ‘very’.

So, in (a) ‘na’ stands for ‘bright’.

MIXED NUMBER CODING:

In this type of questions, a few groups of numbers each coding a certain short message, are
given. Through a comparison of the given coded messages, taking two at a time, the
candidate is required to find the number code for each word and then formulate the code for
the message given.

For Example:
In a certain code,

‘786’ means ‘study very hard’,

‘958’ means ‘hard work pays’

‘645’ means ‘study and work’.

Which of the following is the code for ‘very’?

1. 7 2. 5 3. 8 4.6 5. Either 6 or 7

Ans: 1

Explanation:

In the first and second statements, the common word is ‘hard’ and the common code digit is
’8’. So, ‘8’ means ‘hard’.

In the first and third statements, the common word is ‘study’ and the common code digit is
‘6’. So, ’6’ means ‘study’.

Thus, in the first statement ‘7’ means ‘very’.

Practice Questions:
1. If the word PUMP is coded as 62, the word CAR is coded as 19, then how will
the word LANGUAGE be coded?
Explanation: The pattern is:
P=16, U=21, M=13, P=16
16+21+13+16=66 66-4=62
C=3, A=1, R=18
3+1+18=22 22-3=19
L=12, A=1, N=14, G=7, U=21, A=1, G=7, E=5
12+1+14+7+21+1+7+5=68 68-8=60

2. In a certain code language, RDHKLP is written as QCJMKO. How will

ROHINY be written as in that language?
Explanation:
3. In a certain code language, GOLF is written as 60 and START is written as
117. How will NEST be written as in that language?
Explanation: GOLF=7+15+12+6=40
now, 40*1.5=60
And START=19+20+1+18+20=78
now, 78*1.5=117
Similarly,
NEST=14+5+19+20=58
now, 58*1.5=87

4. In a certain code language, ‘ALERT’ is written as ‘11251820’ and ‘HERD’ is

written as ‘85184’. What will be the code for ‘CLOTH’ in that code language?
Explanation: Respective their place values 31215208

5. In a certain code language, ‘VERBAL’ is written as ‘225182112’, ‘CURANT’ is

written as ‘3211811420’. What is the code for ‘SOLVER’ in that code
language?
Explanation: V(22)E(5)R(18)B(2)A(1)L(12)=225182112,
C(3)U(21)R(18)A(1)N(14)T(20)=3211811420
Similarly,
S(19)O(15)L(12)V(22)E(5)R(18)=19151222518

6. In a certain code language, ‘GIBECH’ is written as ‘974356’. What will be the

code for ‘FHCIAD’ in that code language?
Explanation: G(7)I(9)B(2)E(5)C(3)H(8)
= G(7+2)I(9-2)B(2+2)E(5-2)C(3+2)H(8-2)
= G(9)I(7)B(4)E(3)C(5)H(6)=974356
Similarly,
F(6)H(8)C(3)I(9)A(1)D(4)
= F(6+2)H(8-2)C(3+2)I(9-2)A(1+2)D(4-2)
= F(8)H(6)C(5)I(7)A(3)D(2)=865732

7. In a certain code language, ‘PING’ is written as ‘4’ and METAL is written as

‘5’. What will be the code for STEADYS in that code language?
Explanation: PING=number of letters in the word PING=4
And
METAL=number of letters in the word METAL=5
 Similarly,
STEADYS=number of letters in the word STEADYS=7

8. In a code language, LUCKNOW is coded as ZRQNFXO. Then, in the same

language how CHENNAI will be coded as?
Explanation:

9. In a code language, GOURD is written as IQSTF. How will APHID be written

as in that language?
Explanation:

10. If RUBY is coded as 264 and PAY is coded as 126, then how will RUPAY be
coded as?
Explanation: RUBY - (18 + 21 + 2 + 25) × 4 = 264
PAY - (16 + 1 + 25) × 3 = 126
Similarly,
RUPAY - (18 + 21 + 16 + 1 + 25) × 5 = 405
11. In a code language, MYCOLOGY is written as PBFRORJV. How will
AMMONIA be written as in that language?
Explanation:

12. In a code language, ‘CERTAIN’ is written as ‘XVIGZRM’. How will ‘CLIMATE’

be written as in that language?
Explanation: Opposite pairs

13. In a code language, FRIEND is written as GQJDOC. How will PEACE be

written in that language?
Explanation: F -- (+1)-- G R -- (–1) -- Q
I -- (+1) -- J E -- (–1) -- D N -- (+1) -- O D -- (–1) -- C.
Therefore, the code for PEACE is –
P -- (+1) -- Q E -- (–1) -- D A -- (+1) -- B C -- (–1) -- B E -- (+1) -- F

14. In a certain code language, "MGROAD" is written as "49" and "PIXEL" is

written as 36. How is "BUSSTAND" written in that code language?
Explanation: Number of letters in MGROAD - 6
(6+1)2 = 72 = 49
Number of letters in PIXEL - 5
(5+1)2 = 62 = 36
Number of letters in BUSSTAND - 8
(8+1)2 = 92 = 81
15. In a code language, TEACHING is written as SDBDGHOH. How will
BOOKWORM be written as in that language?
Explanation:
16. If THOR is coded as 20 and RANKED is coded as 42, then how will
STRENGTH be coded as?
Explanation: The pattern of code language is multiplication of total number of
letters with its just succeeded number.
Total number of letters in THOR is 4 x 5 (succeeded number) = 20
Similarly, RANKED = 6 x 7 = 42
Therefore, code of STRENGTH = 8 X 9 = 72

17. In a certain code language, "OBJECT" is written as "KCPUDF" and "CLIMAX"

is written as "JMDYBN". How is "EXEMPT" written in that code language?
Explanation:

18. In a certain code language, ‘#6$’ means ‘active small dog’, ‘#95’ means ‘ big
fat dog’ and ‘3$7’ means ‘beautiful small bird’. Which character in that
language means ‘active’?
Explanation:
19. In a certain code language, ‘POUND’ is coded as ‘106’ and ‘CLEAN’ is coded
as ‘41’. How will ‘MAKER’ be coded as in that language?
Explanation: Logic – Addition of place value of all the letters (Vowel’s place
value X 2)
POUND = 16+15×2+21×2+14+4 = 106
CLEAN = 3+12+5×2+1×2+14 = 41
Similarly, MAKER = 13+1×2+11+5×2+18 = 54

20. If the code for EXPLICIT is FZSPNIPB, then what is the code for PEDAGOGY
in the same code language?

Explanation:
P+1 = Q
E+2 = G
D+3 = G
A+4 = E
G+5 = L
O+6 =U
G+7 = N
Y+8 = G
The code for PEDAGOGY - QGGELUNG