In a certain code GUEST is written as 53@$2 and MEAN is written as 6@4#. How…
2024
In a certain code GUEST is written as 53@$2 and MEAN is written as 6@4#. How is SAME written in that code?
- A.
4$6@
- B.
$46@
- C.
$36@
- D.
5$6@
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
A letter-to-symbol coding puzzle assigns one fixed symbol to each letter; a coded word is built by replacing every letter of the plaintext with its assigned symbol while keeping the letters' original left-to-right order. The mapping itself is read off by lining up a given coded word against its plaintext, letter by letter.
Letter | Symbol |
|---|---|
G | 5 |
U | 3 |
E | @ |
S | $ |
T | 2 |
M | 6 |
A | 4 |
N | # |
GUEST has 5 letters and its code 53@$2 has 5 symbols in the same left-to-right order, so G, U, E, S, T map to 5, 3, @, $, 2 respectively.
MEAN has 4 letters and its code 6@4# has 4 symbols in the same order, so M, E, A, N map to 6, @, 4, # respectively.
Both words share the letter E, and both given codes assign it the same symbol, @ - this consistency shows the substitution is a fixed letter-to-symbol key, not something that changes with position or word.
SAME is made of the letters S, A, M, E. Substituting each letter's own symbol from the key - S to $, A to 4, M to 6, E to @ - and keeping the same left-to-right order as the word gives $46@.
As a check: every symbol used for SAME ($, 4, 6, @) already appears in the key extracted from GUEST or MEAN, and no new symbol had to be invented for this word - confirming the derivation is consistent with both given codes.