From the word “CONTRIBUTION”, take the 2nd, 6th, 9th, and 12th letters. If at least one meaningful English word can be formed using those letters (each used once), what will be the last letter of such a word? If more than one such word exists, answer “M”. If no such word exists, answer “X”.

Introduction / Context:
Many vocabulary puzzles ask you to extract letters by position and then determine whether a common word can be formed. If multiple words are possible, you answer “M”; if none, “X”. Otherwise, you report the last letter of the viable word.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Word: CONTRIBUTION.
• Positions: C(1) O(2) N(3) T(4) R(5) I(6) B(7) U(8) T(9) I(10) O(11) N(12).
• Selected letters: 2nd = O, 6th = I, 9th = T, 12th = N → set {O, I, T, N}.
• Use each letter exactly once to form a word.

Concept / Approach:
Scan for common words from the multiset {I, N, T, O}. The most immediate is “INTO,” a very common preposition. It uses all four letters exactly once and is undeniably standard English. Check for alternatives (e.g., “ton i,” “tino”)—they are either non-words or names; no second standard word exists, so we do not answer “M”.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Extract letters: O, I, T, N.2) Form a common word: INTO.3) Identify its last letter: O.

Verification / Alternative check:
Try other permutations—“tino,” “tion,” “oint”—none are standalone common English words; “INTO” is unique and unambiguous here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“T” is not the last letter of any valid full-word permutation here; “M” requires more than one distinct word; “X” would apply only if no word could be formed.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing the productive suffix “-tion” for a standalone word; it is not accepted as an independent word in this context.

Final Answer:
O