Input-Output - Reasoning MCQ for IBPS PO / Clerk
Directions (Q. 1-7): Study the following information carefully to answer the questions given below.
A number sorting machine when given an input of numbers, rearranges the numbers in a particular manner step by step as indicated below till all the numbers are arranged in a particular order. Given below is an illustration of this arrangement:
Input: 39 121 48 18 76 112 14 45 63 96
Step I: 14 39 121 48 18 76 112 45 63 96
Step II: 14 39 48 14 76 112 45 63 96 121
Step III: 14 18 39 48 76 112 45 63 96 121
Step IV: 14 18 39 48 76 45 63 96 112 121
Step V: 14 18 39 45 48 76 63 96 112 121
Step VI: 14 18 39 45 48 63 76 96 112 121
(This is the final arrangement and Step VI is the last step for this input)
1. If following is the fifth step of an input, what will be the third step?
Step V: 17 32 43 82 69 93 49 56 99 106
1) 17 32 43 82 69 93 49 56 99 106
2) 17 32 82 69 43 93 49 56 99 106
3) 17 32 82 69 93 43 49 56 99 106
4) 17 32 82 69 43 93 56 49 99 106
5) Can’t be determined
2. How many steps will be required for getting the final output for the following input?
Input: 101 85 66 49 73 39 142 25 115 74
1) 5
2) 6
3) 7
4) 8
5) None of these
3. Which of the following will be the third step for the following input?
Input: 45 78 97 132 28 16 146 54 99 112
1) 16 28 45 78 97 146 54 99 112 132
2) 16 28 45 97 78 54 99 112 132 146
3) 16 28 45 78 97 132 54 99 112 146
4) 16 28 45 97 78 132 99 54 112 146
5) None of these
4. If the second step for an input is as given below, what will be the fifth step for the same input?
Step II: 22 49 32 88 69 132 101 185
1) 22 32 49 88 69 101 132 185
2) 22 32 69 49 88 101 132 185
3) 22 32 49 69 101 88 132 185
4) 22 32 49 88 69 132 101 185
5) None of these
5. What will be the Step II for the following input?
Input: 47 62 17 92 86 42 24 79
1) 17 24 47 62 86 42 79 92
2) 17 47 62 86 42 24 79 92
3) 17 24 47 62 92 86 42 79
4) 17 47 62 86 24 42 79 92
5) None of these
6. What will be the last step for the following input?
Input: 138 63 49 93 89 122 32 71
1) 32 49 71 63 89 93 122 138
2) 32 49 63 71 93 89 122 138
3) 32 49 63 71 89 93 122 138
4) Can’t be determined
5) None of these
7. What will be the step III for the following input?
Input: 68 182 39 93 129 46 21 58
1) 21 39 68 93 129 46 58 182
2) 21 39 68 129 93 46 58 182
3) 32 68 39 93 129 46 58 182
4) Can’t be determined
5) None of these
Answers with Explanations:
(1-7): Here the rule followed is:
Step I: The smallest number becomes first and the remaining numbers shift one position rightward. [In case the first number is small then the next number just larger than it will become second and the rest will shift one position rightward and so on.]
Step II: The largest number among given numbers becomes last and the remaining numbers shift one position leftward.
[In case the largest number is first from the right end, the second largest number replaces the second number from the right end, and so on.]
These steps are repeated alternately till all the numbers get arranged in ascending order and that will be the last step for that particular input.
1. 5
2. 4
3. 3; Input: 45, 78, 97, 132, 28, 16, 146, 54, 99, 112
Step I: 16, 45, 78, 97, 132, 28, 146, 54, 99, 112
Step II: 16, 45, 78, 97, 132, 28, 54, 99, 112, 146
Step III: 16, 28, 45, 78, 97, 132, 54, 99, 112, 146
4. 5; Step II: 22, 49, 32, 88, 69, 132, 101, 185
Step III: 22, 32, 49, 88, 69, 132, 101, 185
Step IV: 22, 32, 49, 88, 69, 101, 132, 185
Step V: 22, 32, 49, 69, 88, 101, 132, 185
Here, Step III will be same as Step I and in Step IV, as the largest number is already at the end, second largest will come in just one position ahead of the largest.
5. 2; Input: 47, 62, 17, 92, 86, 42, 24, 79
Step I: 17, 47, 62, 92, 86, 42, 24, 79
Step II: 17, 47, 62, 86, 42, 24, 79, 92
6. 3; As it is certain that the last step will be strictly in ascending order hence we do not require to go through procedures.
7. 1
