Fixed Positional Shifts variations and example problems for practice
In
alphabetical reasoning, the Fixed Positional Shifts category involves
transforming letters by shifting them a fixed number of positions forward or
backward in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26). This is one of the most common
pattern types in aptitude tests, as it is straightforward yet allows for
variations in complexity. Below, I’ll outline the types of questions that can
be asked within this category, identify the distinct varieties, and provide 10 Practice
questions for each variety, complete with solutions and explanations.
Types
of Questions in Fixed Positional Shifts
The
Fixed Positional Shifts category can be broken down into distinct varieties
based on the nature of the shift and the structure of the question. The key
variations include:
- Uniform Forward Shift: All letters in a pair or word
are shifted forward by a fixed number of positions (e.g., +2, +3). – View
- Uniform Backward Shift: All letters in a pair or word
are shifted backward by a fixed number of positions (e.g., -2, -3). – View
- Mixed Forward and Backward Shifts
(Same Question): Different
parts of the question (e.g., different letters in a word or different
pairs) use forward and backward shifts, but each shift is fixed. – View
- Wrap-Around Shifts (Modular
Arithmetic): Shifts
that go beyond Z or before A, wrapping around the alphabet (e.g., Z+1=A,
A-1=Z). – View
- Shifts Applied to Sequences: The shift is applied to a
sequence of letters or pairs, where the pattern continues across multiple
terms. – View
