From the given alternatives, select the English word which cannot be formed using the letters of the word ACADEMIC.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Card

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Questions about forming words from the letters of another word are used to test a candidate's ability to work with letter frequencies and visual pattern recognition. The task is to check not only whether the required letters are present, but also whether they are present in sufficient numbers. In this question, the base word is ACADEMIC and we must identify which one of the options cannot be constructed using its letters, even after rearranging them in any order.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Base word: ACADEMIC.
  • Available letters with frequency: A (2), C (2), D (1), E (1), M (1), I (1).
  • Option words: Card, Made, Ice, Aim, Acid.
  • Letters cannot be reused more times than they appear in the base word.


Concept / Approach:
To solve this type of problem, we count how many times each letter appears in the base word and then compare that with the requirements of each option. If any option requires a letter that does not appear in the base word at all, or needs more copies of a letter than are available, that option cannot be formed. The presence or absence of each letter is more important than the order of letters, because we are allowed to rearrange them freely.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List the letters in ACADEMIC: A, C, A, D, E, M, I, C. Step 2: Note the frequencies: A (2), C (2), D (1), E (1), M (1), I (1). There is no letter R, no letter O, and no letter T for example. Step 3: Test the option Card: it needs C, A, R, D. The base word provides C, A, and D, but there is no letter R in ACADEMIC, so Card cannot be formed. Step 4: Test the remaining options quickly: Made uses M, A, D, E which all exist; Ice uses I, C, E which all exist; Aim uses A, I, M which all exist; Acid uses A, C, I, D which also all exist. Therefore, only Card fails.


Verification / Alternative check:
As a quick verification, we can simply scan the base word visually for the letters of each option. For Card, the eye quickly confirms the absence of R, while for Made, Ice, Aim and Acid every required letter appears at least once. Since the question demands a word that cannot be formed, and Card alone uses a letter that is missing, our earlier conclusion is confirmed to be consistent and correct.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Made is a valid construction because ACADEMIC contains M, A, D, and E in sufficient quantity. Ice is also possible since I, C, and E are all present. Aim can be formed using A, I, and M, each of which appears at least once. Acid uses A, C, I, and D, again all letters that are clearly present in the base word. Thus, these options are wrong as answers because they can indeed be formed from ACADEMIC and therefore do not satisfy the requirement of the question.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes ignore letter frequencies and assume that the presence of a letter even once is always enough. For example, if an option had required three As, that would have been impossible because ACADEMIC only has two As. Another common mistake is reading quickly and assuming that all common words like Card or Made are automatically possible, without checking for the presence of every letter. Paying attention to missing letters like R in this case is essential for finding the correct answer efficiently.


Final Answer:
The only word that cannot be formed from the letters of ACADEMIC is Card, because the letter R is not available in the base word at all.

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