These questions are based on the following information.
A word and number arrangement machine when given an input line of words and numbers rearranges them by following a particular rule. The following is an illustration of an input and its rearrangement.
Input: men 27 pen 32 ten 56 hen 48
Step I: hen men 27 pen 32 ten 56 48
Step II: hen 56 men 27 pen 32 ten 48
Step III: hen 56 men 48 27 pen 32 ten
Step IV: hen 56 men 48 pen 27 32 ten
Step V: hen 56 men 48 pen 32 27 ten
Step VI: hen 56 men 48 pen 32 ten 27
Step VII: is the final output for the above input.
As per the rules followed in the above steps, find out appropriate steps for the given input and answer the following questions.
How many steps are required to get the last step for the following input.
Input: 143 make 157 flow hick 149 jack 173 cake 168
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Pattern:
• Words are arranged in alphabetical order (A to Z) at alternate odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.).
• Numbers are arranged in descending order (highest to lowest) at alternate even positions (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.).
• One element is rearranged at a time from left to right.
Given Input:
143 make 157 flow hick 149 jack 173 cake 168
Step-by-step rearrangement:
• Step I: cake 143 make 157 flow hick 149 jack 173 168
• Step II: cake 173 143 make 157 flow hick 149 jack 168
• Step III: cake 173 flow 143 make 157 hick 149 jack 168
• Step IV: cake 173 flow 168 143 make 157 hick 149 jack
• Step V: cake 173 flow 168 hick 143 make 157 149 jack
• Step VI: cake 173 flow 168 hick 157 143 make 149 jack
• Step VII: cake 173 flow 168 hick 157 jack 143 make 149
• Step VIII: cake 173 flow 168 hick 157 jack 149 143 make
• Step IX: cake 173 flow 168 hick 157 jack 149 make 143
In Step IX, the last number 143 is automatically set in its correct place.
Therefore, 9 steps are required to complete the rearrangement.