Alphabet Series
Overview
Alphabet Series is a fundamental reasoning topic that tests your ability to recognize patterns in letter sequences. In the Maharashtra Police Bharti exam, these questions appear regularly in the Intellectual Test section and are considered scoring opportunities because they follow predictable logic once you master the underlying patterns.
The topic requires you to understand letter positions (A=1, B=2... Z=26), recognize forward/backward movement patterns, identify skipping sequences, and sometimes work with combined letter-number patterns. With practice, these questions can be solved in 20-30 seconds each, making them valuable time-savers in the exam.
Success in alphabet series depends on memorizing letter positions and developing quick mental calculation skills for adding or subtracting position values. Students who invest time in learning the position table thoroughly find this topic significantly easier than those who count from A each time.
Key Concepts
- Letter Position Numbering: Every letter has a fixed position — A=1, B=2, C=3... L=12, M=13, N=14... Z=26. This is the foundation for all alphabet series problems.
- Forward and Backward Movement: Series can move forward (A→B→C) or backward (Z→Y→X). The direction determines whether you add or subtract from position values.
- Constant Gap Pattern: Most series maintain a fixed gap between letters. Example: A, D, G, J (gap of +3 each time).
- Variable Gap Pattern: Some series have increasing or decreasing gaps. Example: A, B, D, G, K (gaps of +1, +2, +3, +4).
- Opposite Letter Concept: Letters equidistant from both ends are called opposite letters. A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X, etc. Their positions always sum to 27.
- Alphabet Midpoint: M=13 and N=14 are the middle letters. Useful for quick calculations — letters after M have positions = 13 + distance from M.
- Mixed Patterns: Some series combine letters with numbers or alternate between different rules for odd and even positions.
Formulas / Key Facts
Position Table (Memorize This)
A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5 F=6 G=7
H=8 I=9 J=10 K=11 L=12 M=13 N=14
O=15 P=16 Q=17 R=18 S=19 T=20 U=21
V=22 W=23 X=24 Y=25 Z=26Quick Calculation Tricks
| Reference Point | Use Case |
|---|---|
| E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20 | Multiples of 5 — quick anchors |
| M=13, N=14 | Midpoint reference |
| Position of letter + Position of opposite = 27 | Finding opposite letters |
Opposite Letter Pairs
A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X, D↔W, E↔V, F↔U, G↔T, H↔S, I↔R, J↔Q, K↔P, L↔O, M↔N
EJOTY Formula: E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25 — these five letters at intervals of 5 serve as mental landmarks.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Find the next letter in the series — B, E, H, K, ?
Step 1: Convert to positions — B=2, E=5, H=8, K=11 Step 2: Find the gap — 5-2=3, 8-5=3, 11-8=3 (constant gap of +3) Step 3: Next position = 11+3 = 14 Step 4: Position 14 = N
Answer: N
Example 2: Find the wrong letter — A, C, F, J,(O), U
Step 1: Convert — A=1, C=3, F=6, J=10, O=15, U=21 Step 2: Find gaps — 3-1=2, 6-3=3, 10-6=4, 15-10=5, 21-15=6 Step 3: Pattern shows gaps increasing by 1 each time (+2, +3, +4, +5, +6) Step 4: Verify — all gaps follow the pattern correctly
Wait, let us recheck: 1→3(+2), 3→6(+3), 6→10(+4), 10→15(+5), 15→21(+6). Pattern is correct!
If the question had O replaced with P (position 16), then gap would be +6 instead of +5, breaking the pattern.
Answer: If O is marked wrong, the correct letter at that position should be O itself (gap +5 from J=10 gives 15=O)
Example 3: If DELHI is coded in a pattern where D=4, E=5, L=12, H=8, I=9, what is the sum of positions?
Step 1: D=4, E=5, L=12, H=8, I=9 Step 2: Sum = 4+5+12+8+9 = 38
Answer: 38
Example 4: What letter is exactly midway between G and Q?
Step 1: G=7, Q=17 Step 2: Midpoint position = (7+17)/2 = 24/2 = 12 Step 3: Position 12 = L
Answer: L
Example 5: In the series AZ, BY, CX, DW, ?, find the next pair
Step 1: First letters — A, B, C, D → moving forward (+1) Step 2: Second letters — Z, Y, X, W → moving backward (-1) Step 3: Next pair — E (D+1) and V (W-1)
Answer: EV
Common Mistakes
- Counting on fingers from A every time → Memorize the EJOTY landmarks (E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25) and calculate from the nearest anchor. This saves 10+ seconds per question.
- Confusing forward and backward series → Always check the first two or three terms to establish direction before assuming the pattern continues forward.
- Missing variable gap patterns → If constant gap does not work, immediately check if gaps are increasing (+1, +2, +3...) or form their own sequence.
- Forgetting that Z wraps to A → In some series, after Z comes A (circular alphabet). If your calculation gives position 27, it becomes 1 (A). Position 28 = B, and so on.
- Not verifying the answer → After finding the answer, substitute it back into the series and confirm the pattern holds. This 5-second check prevents silly errors.
Quick Reference
- EJOTY = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 — your mental anchors for quick position finding.
- Opposite letters sum to 27 — A+Z = 1+26 = 27, B+Y = 2+25 = 27.
- First check constant gap, then check variable gap — most exam questions use one of these two patterns.
- M=13, N=14 — the alphabet's midpoint; useful for reverse calculations.
- For circular series: Position greater than 26 → subtract 26 to get actual letter.
- Practice tip: Write positions 1-26 ten times daily for a week — positions become automatic.