Consider the English alphabet written in order as A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z. Which letter lies exactly in the middle between the ninth letter from the right end and the eighth letter from the left end in this sequence?

Introduction / Context:
This aptitude question tests your understanding of positions in the English alphabet and how to count letters from both the left and the right. Such alphabet test questions are very common in bank exams, SSC exams, and many other competitive tests, so learning a systematic method is very useful.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The English alphabet is taken in standard order from A to Z without skipping any letter.
The ninth letter from the right and the eighth letter from the left must be identified using this order.
We have to find the letter that lies exactly in the middle of these two identified letters in terms of position number.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to convert each described position into a numerical position in the alphabet. Once we know the numerical positions, we can use a simple average to locate the middle letter. Because the alphabet from A to Z has 26 letters, counting from the right is converted into a position from the left by using the relation position_from_left = 27 - position_from_right.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
You can list the letters between H and R to verify. H is the 8th letter and R is the 18th letter. The letters from H to R are H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R. This list has 11 letters, so the 6th letter in this sequence is the middle one. Counting: 1-H, 2-I, 3-J, 4-K, 5-L, 6-M. This independently confirms that M is the middle letter.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

N is the 14th letter, which is one step to the right of the true middle M and therefore not exactly in the middle.
O is the 15th letter, two positions to the right of the true middle M, so it does not satisfy the midpoint requirement.
L is the 12th letter, one position to the left of the true middle M and hence also not the exact middle letter.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners make mistakes by miscounting from the right side or by forgetting that there are 26 letters, so the formula 27 - right_position must be used. Another common error is to count inclusively in the list between H and R but then pick the wrong central element by miscounting positions. Being systematic with positions avoids these issues.

Final Answer:
The letter that lies exactly in the middle between the ninth letter from the right and the eighth letter from the left is M.