Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Petrol
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a word formation question where you must check whether given option words can be formed from the letters of a longer reference word. Each letter in the options can only be used as many times as it appears in the original word. The task is to identify which option violates this rule and therefore cannot be formed. This type of problem tests attention to detail in counting letters and reinforces careful reading of spelling patterns.
Given Data / Assumptions:
1) The reference word is CONCEPTUALIZATION.2) The option words are Actual, Petrol, Total and Petal.3) Each letter in an option word may be used only up to the number of times it appears in CONCEPTUALIZATION.4) No rearrangement restrictions exist beyond letter availability; you only check counts, not order.
Concept / Approach:
The best approach is to first count the occurrences of each letter in CONCEPTUALIZATION. Then, for each option word, verify whether every letter required is present in sufficient quantity in the reference word. If an option requires a letter that does not appear at all, or more copies of a letter than available, that option cannot be formed. Only one option should fail this test. You do not need to actually form the word; simple counting is enough.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Write CONCEPTUALIZATION and count letters roughly: it contains C, O, N, C, E, P, T, U, A, L, I, Z, A, T, I, O, N.2) From this, there are at least two Cs, two Os, two Ns, two As, two Ts and two Is, along with one E, one P, one U, one L and one Z.3) Consider Actual. Its letters are A, C, T, U, A and L. All these letters appear in CONCEPTUALIZATION, and there are enough A, C, T, U and L to cover this word.4) Consider Total. Letters are T, O, T, A and L. T, O, A and L all appear in the reference word, and there are at least two Ts and two Os, so Total can be formed.5) Consider Petal. Letters are P, E, T, A and L. P appears once, E appears once, T, A and L all appear, so Petal can also be formed without exceeding letter counts.6) Examine Petrol. Letters are P, E, T, R, O and L. P, E, T, O and L are available, but the letter R does not appear anywhere in CONCEPTUALIZATION.7) Since R is completely missing from the reference word, Petrol cannot be formed using the letters of CONCEPTUALIZATION.
Verification / Alternative check:
To confirm, scan CONCEPTUALIZATION carefully for R. The letters are C, O, N, C, E, P, T, U, A, L, I, Z, A, T, I, O and N. There is no R in this sequence. Because at least one R is required to form Petrol, and no such letter is available, Petrol is impossible to construct. Meanwhile, all letters for Actual, Total and Petal are clearly present in appropriate quantities. This cross check removes any doubt and confirms Petrol as the only invalid option.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Actual uses letters A, C, T, U and L, all of which are contained in the reference word.Total uses T, O, A and L, all available in sufficient counts.Petal uses P, E, T, A and L, and each of these letters occurs at least once in CONCEPTUALIZATION.None of these is incorrect because Petrol alone contains a letter, R, which is absent from the reference word.
Common Pitfalls:
Test takers sometimes focus on the length of the word or general similarity of appearance instead of actually checking specific letters. It is easy to assume Petrol is valid because it looks similar in style to Petal and Total. Another frequent mistake is missing a rarely used letter like Z or confusing N with R at a quick glance. To avoid these errors, always scan the reference word slowly and, if needed, note down the letters that are completely absent, such as R in this case. Any option requiring a missing letter must immediately be marked as impossible.
Final Answer:
The word that cannot be formed from the letters of CONCEPTUALIZATION is Petrol.
Discussion & Comments