Final answer:
To search for a word that begins with 'ar', you would enter 'ar*'. The asterisk (*) is a wildcard character that finds any word starting with 'ar' followed by any sequence of characters, unlike the other symbols provided which do not serve as standard wildcards.
Step-by-step explanation:
To search for a word that starts with 'ar', you would enter ar*. The asterisk (*) is a wildcard character that is used in search queries to represent any number of additional characters, including none. This means that when you use 'ar*' in a search, it will find any words that begin with 'ar', such as 'area', 'argument', or 'array'.
In contrast, the other options provided, such as 'ar?', 'ar#', and 'ar!', do not commonly act as wildcard characters in search operations. The question mark (?) often represents a single character, the hash (#) and the exclamation mark (!) are not standard wildcard characters and therefore would not perform the task of finding words that start with 'ar' followed by any sequence of characters.
Understanding how to use wildcard characters effectively can enhance your ability to search databases, file systems, or even Internet search engines that support wildcards. The asterisk (*) is the most commonly used wildcard symbol for representing multiple characters. It is often used in file searches in operating systems, querying databases, and even in some search engines.