Analyzing the MASONRY Alphabetical Arrangement

The question asks us to find the number of letters between two specific positions after arranging the letters of the word MASONRY in alphabetical order.

Step 1: Rearrange the Letters Alphabetically

First, let's identify the letters in the word MASONRY.

The letters are: M, A, S, O, N, R, Y.

Now, we arrange these letters in alphabetical order:

A, M, N, O, R, S, Y

This forms the new letter cluster: AMNORSY.

Step 2: Identify Letters by Position

The question requires us to find the letter that is third from the left and the letter that is second from the right in the new cluster (AMNORSY).

• Third letter from the left: Counting from the left, the letters are A (1st), M (2nd), and N (3rd).
• Second letter from the right: Counting from the right, the letters are Y (1st) and S (2nd).

So, the two key letters are N and S.

Step 3: Count Letters Between N and S

We need to determine how many letters exist in the standard English alphabetical series strictly *between* N and S.

Let's consider the sequence of letters around N and S:

..., M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, ...

The letters that fall between N and S are:

• O
• P
• Q
• R

Counting these letters, we find there are exactly 4 letters.

Final Answer Derivation

By arranging the letters of MASONRY alphabetically (AMNORSY), identifying the third letter from the left (N) and the second letter from the right (S), and then counting the letters between them in the alphabet (O, P, Q, R), we find there are 4 letters.