How many words can one form by shuffling the letters of the word QUEUE, if Q is always followed by U? The words thus formed need…

Question

How many words can one form by shuffling the letters of the word QUEUE, if Q is always followed by U? The words thus formed need not necessarily have any meaning.

1. A. 6
2. B. 8
3. C. 10
4. D. 12 (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — 12

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option D (12).

Key Points

• QUEUE has the letters Q, U, U, E, E. The condition "Q is always followed by U" means the pair QU is glued into one block.
• Remaining units to arrange: [QU], U, E, E — that is 4 units, with the two E's identical.
• Number of arrangements = 4! / 2! = 24 / 2 = 12.

Additional Information

• Treating the forced pair as a single block and dividing by the repeated letters is the standard technique → Option D.