How many meaningful four-letter English words can be formed using the first,…
2025
How many meaningful four-letter English words can be formed using the first, second, third, and sixth letters of the word "PROVIDE" (when counted from left to right), using each letter only once in each word?
Answer: B. Three — In a letter-position word-formation question, first identify the exact letters sitting at the stated positions when the word is read strictly left to right,…
- A.
One
- B.
Three
- C.
Two
- D.
Five
Attempted by 5 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
In a letter-position word-formation question, first identify the exact letters sitting at the stated positions when the word is read strictly left to right, then check every rearrangement of only those letters against real dictionary words — a word counts only if all its letters come from that set, each used exactly once.
Write out PROVIDE with each letter numbered from the left: P(1), R(2), O(3), V(4), I(5), D(6), E(7).
The question asks for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th letters, which are P, R, O, and D.
Rearrange P, R, O, D (each used once) and check every ordering against a dictionary: DROP (to fall or let fall), PROD (to poke or urge into action), and DORP (a small village or hamlet) are all standard English words.
No other arrangement of these four letters forms a recognised English word.
Counting the valid words found — DROP, PROD, DORP — gives a total of three meaningful four-letter words.