In a certain language, COMPUTER is coded as OCPMTURE. How is KEYBOARD coded in that code?

Question

In a certain language, COMPUTER is coded as OCPMTURE. How is KEYBOARD coded in that code?

1. A. KYEOBARD
2. B. EKBYAODR (Correct answer)
3. C. EKYOBARD
4. D. KYEOBADR

Correct Answer

Option B — EKBYAODR

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is EKBYAODR.

Key Points

• Compare COMPUTER with OCPMTURE in pairs:
  • CO → OC, MP → PM, UT → TU, ER → RE
• The rule is simply to swap each adjacent pair of letters, left to right. No alphabetical shifting is involved.
• Applying it to KEYBOARD:
  • KE → EK, YB → BY, OA → AO, RD → DR
• Joining gives EKBYAODR.

Additional Information

• First confirm the coded word uses exactly the same letters as the original. If it does, the rule is positional; if new letters appear, it is a shift.
• The position map here is 2,1,4,3,6,5,8,7 — writing that out and applying it mechanically is safer than swapping by eye.
• Both words have an even number of letters, so every letter finds a partner. With an odd count the final letter would stay put, which is a common variation.
• Distractors in this family typically swap the right letters in the wrong order, so check the sequence rather than just the letter set.