If it is possible to make a meaningful word with the 2nd, 6th, 9th and 12th…
2025
If it is possible to make a meaningful word with the 2nd, 6th, 9th and 12th letters of the word 'CONTRIBUTION', which of the following will be the last letter of that word? If more than one such word can be formed, give 'M' as the answer, and if no such word can be formed, give 'X' as the answer.
- A.
T
- B.
O
- C.
M
- D.
X
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept: In letter-position word-formation questions, you index every letter of the given word by its serial position, pick out the letters at the specified positions, and check whether that exact set of letters can be rearranged into a valid, meaningful English word. If exactly one such word exists, the required letter (here, the last letter) is read off that word; a special code answer is used only if more than one such word is possible, or if none is possible.
Application: Extract the letters at positions 2, 6, 9 and 12 of the word 'CONTRIBUTION' (C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-I-O-N).
2nd letter = O
6th letter = I
9th letter = T
12th letter = N
Rearranging the letters O, I, T and N gives the common English word INTO (I-N-T-O), whose last letter is O.
Cross-check: No other common English word can be formed by rearranging these same four letters, so the word is uniquely determined. This rules out the 'more than one word' case (which would require 'M') and the 'no word possible' case (which would require 'X'). Hence the last letter of the uniquely formed word, O, is the answer.