How to Ace Reasoning Coding and Decoding for SSC Exams?

 

Reasoning questions on coding-decoding are regularly asked in SSC exams and other bank exams. These questions can only be mastered with practice. The more you practice such questions, the better you understand the logic, the faster you get at decoding the pattern. 

This article will discuss important tips to solve coding-decoding questions for SSC, which will help you score the maximum marks in this section. 

What is Coding and Decoding?

Coding is a process of transmitting a message between the sender and the receiver without the knowledge of the third person. Before transmitting, the data is encoded, and at the receiver's end the data is decoded in order to gather the original information by determining the common keys in encoded data. 

Coding and Decoding is an important part of the Reasoning section in various competitive exams, but the level of questions differs. For example, in SSC exams, the level of questions is easy to medium, while in IBPS exams, the level of questions is difficult. 

How to Solve Coding-Decoding Reasoning Questions?

• Observe numbers and alphabets given in the code keenly.

• Detect the rule in which numbers or alphabets or numbers follow.

• Find the sequence it follows, whether it's ascending or descending. 

• Fill the appropriate word or letter or number in the blank given.

Tips to Solve Coding-Decoding Problems in SSC

Learn different position numbers of the English alphabet (A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4,..... Y=25, Z=26). To learn this, remember the shortcut for the position of letters, i.e. EJOTY (E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25). 

• Learn positions as per reverse English alphabet series (A=26, B=25, C=24,.... Z=1)

• Learn the opposite letter of each letter, i.e. the pair of letters from the start and end of the English alphabet series (A is the opposite of Z, B is the opposite of Y, C is the opposite of X and so on). To learn this, students can use different acronyms such as AZar, BYe, CXrux, DWe, etc. 

Different Types of Coding and Decoding 

1. Letter Coding 

In this, the actual alphabets in a word are replaced by certain other alphabets according to a specific rule to form its code. Students are required to detect the rule and answer accordingly. 

For example:

If in a certain code, RELIEF is written as QFKKDI. How is WELCOME written in that code?  

2. Substitution 

In this type, a particular object name is substituted with other object names. Students have to trace the substitution and answer carefully. 

For example:

If ‘car’ is called ‘pink’, ‘cycle’ is called ‘black’ ‘bike’ is called ‘blue’, and ‘aeroplane’ is called ‘yellow’, what would fly in sky?  

3. Mixed Letter Coding 

In this type, four or five messages are given in a coded language and code for a particular word is asked. To interpret such codes, any two messages with a common word are picked, and these common words will mean that word. Then, proceed by picking up all the combinations of two, the entire message can be interpreted. 

For example:

In a certain code language, 

1. ‘given time simple plan’ was written as ‘@E4 &N4 %N5 #E6’

2. ‘sick point good turn’ was written as ‘#K4 %D4 @N4 &T5’

3. ‘tired solution plant great’ was written as ‘#N8 @D5 %T5 &T5’

4. ‘garden sister phone team’ was written as ‘&E5 #R6 %N6 @M4’

What will be the code for 'plan'?

4. Mixed Number Coding

In this type, a few groups of numbers, each coded as a certain short message, are given. By comparing the given coded messages, taking two at a time, the candidates need to detect the number code for each word and then interpret the code for the given message. 

For example:

If in a certain code language, ‘123’ means ‘bright little boy’, ‘637’ means ‘beautiful little flower’, and ‘145’ means ‘tall big boy’. Which digit in that language means ‘bright’?  

Recommended Books for SSC Reasoning Coding and Decoding

Various books are available online and in the market to prepare for SSC exams. Given below are the two most recommended books that will help you cover this topic thoroughly. 

• SSC Reasoning Topic Wise by Disha Publications

• SSC CGL 12 Year-wise Tier I Solved Papers (2010-20) with 3 Online Practice Sets 2nd Edition by Disha Publications

Importance of Coding and Decoding in SSC

• At least 3 to 5 questions will be asked from coding and decoding in the reasoning section. 

• It is an easy and scoring topic, and students can score full marks if practiced well.

• No mathematical formulas or calculations are required.

• Coding and Decoding questions are often linked.

If you wish to understand the topic in-depth, you can watch the videos on Coding-Decoding on Mahendra’s YouTube channel. Moreover, it has a detailed explanation of coding-decoding reasoning questions with answers.