Mirror questions?

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justinm
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:25 pm

Mirror questions?

Post by justinm »

Hi, we've recently come across 'mirror' questions for the first time, and wondered if these come up in Bucks 11+.

These are code type questions, eg

If the code for HARD is SZIW, what does WLLI mean?

I gather the way to answer these is to write the alphabet backwards under itself (doesn't work too well in this font!):

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA

so WLLI IS DOOR

A recent practice paper we have done had three of these, but it is the first time we have seen them. Can anyone advise if they occur in Bucks papers?

Many thanks for your help!

JJ
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear Justinm

Yes, they can turn up in the Bucks test.

Personally, I do not rewrite out the alphabet. I teach my children to recognise whether it is a mirror code, then work out the 1st and last letter, its much quicker.

Patricia
justinm
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:25 pm

Post by justinm »

Thanks Patricia. Great tip. We'll give it a go.
JJ
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear Justin

The following EXAMPLES are randomly made up...

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ MN are the mirror

BEAST is to GTINM

Look at the 1st letter of word and code, B and G both on the same side [ left of the mirror NM ] therefore NOT mirror codes

SLAVE is to PUNFT

S and P on the same side of the alphabet, NOT mirror code

GHOST is to LDIWM

G and L on the same side, NOT Mirror code

PESTS is to KYOCA

P and K opposite sides, quich check are they mirrors, yes MUST check another pair, look for letters near the end or beginning of alphabet. A from the code is paired with S , so NOT a mirror code.

WEAN is to DVZM

W and D are mirrors, second check A and Z are mirrors, at last we have a mirror, go for it!

Only work out the first and last letters as this will normally be enough to find the answer on a multiple choice answer sheet.

The majority of codes are NOT mirrors, a quick 1/2 second glance will eliminate accordingly.
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