Letter-position selection and anagram: From the word CONTEMPLATION, take the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, and 9th letters. Form a meaningful 4-letter English word from these letters. What is the middle letter of that word? (If more than one such word exists, answer X. If none exists, answer Y.)
Correct Answer: O
Introduction / Context:This question blends letter indexing with anagram reasoning. You must extract specific letters from a given word, then check whether those letters can form a meaningful word, and finally report the “middle letter.”
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Word: CONTEMPLATION.
- Positions: 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th letters.
- If multiple valid 4-letter words exist, choose X; if none, choose Y.
Concept / Approach:Index the letters precisely, then test common anagrams for dictionary validity. For 4-letter outputs, aptitude conventions typically treat the “middle letter” as the second letter (since there are two middle positions).
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Index the letters in CONTEMPLATION: 1 C, 2 O, 3 N, 4 T, 5 E, 6 M, 7 P, 8 L, 9 A, 10 T, 11 I, 12 O, 13 N. 2) Extract: 2→O, 3→N, 8→L, 9→A → {O, N, L, A}. 3) Form a meaningful word: LOAN is valid; other arrangements (ALON, NOLA used as a name) are not standard answers. 4) For “LOAN,” the middle letter (conventionally the second character) is O.Verification / Alternative check:Common dictionaries list “loan” as a standard English word; no alternative accepted anagram is typical in such tests.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:“A” would be the third letter; “X” applies only if multiple words exist; “Y” if none exist; “L” is the first letter here.
Common Pitfalls:Confusion about “middle letter” in even-length words; for these items, the second character is conventionally taken as the middle indicator.
Final Answer:O