Directions: A word/number arrangement machine is given an input line of words…
2024
Directions: A word/number arrangement machine is given an input line of words and numbers; it arranges them following a particular rule in each step. The following is an illustration of input and its arrangement:
Input: triangle 45 38 galaxy 93 puzzle 27 velocity rhythm 84
Step I: 88 triangle 45 38 puzzle 27 velocity rhythm 84 aaglxy
Step II: 87 88 triangle 45 38 27 velocity rhythm aaglxy eulpzz
Step III: 40 87 88 triangle 38 27 velocity aaglxy eulpzz hhmrty
Step IV: 41 40 87 88 27 velocity aaglxy eulpzz hhmrty aeiglnrt
Step V: 22 41 40 87 88 aaglxy eulpzz hhmrty aeiglnrt eiocltvy
Based on the above example, rearrange the below input:
Input: shadow 74 19 magnet 52 forest 68 bridge whistle 31
What is the position of ‘eibdgr’ with respect to ‘77’ in step IV?
- A.
3rd to the right
- B.
5th to the right
- C.
4th to the left
- D.
2nd to the right
- E.
None of the above
Attempted by 2 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Concept
In an input-arrangement machine, each step shifts exactly one number to the left end and one transformed word to the right end, while the untouched items keep their original relative order in the middle. The two governing rules here are:
Numbers leave in descending order of value (largest first), each moving to the left end, and are transformed by parity: an even number gains 3, an odd number loses 5.
Words leave in ascending alphabetical order of the original word, each moving to the right end, and a word is transformed by writing its vowels in alphabetical order first, then its consonants in alphabetical order.
Both rules are read off the worked example. The word order galaxy → puzzle → rhythm → triangle → velocity is alphabetical, and each transform is vowels-then-consonants: galaxy→aaglxy, puzzle→eulpzz, rhythm→hhmrty, triangle→aeiglnrt, velocity→eiocltvy. The number order 93 → 84 → 45 → 38 → 27 is descending, with 93→88, 84→87, 45→40, 38→41, 27→22 matching even+3 / odd−5.
Application to this input
Input: shadow 74 19 magnet 52 forest 68 bridge whistle 31.
Words alphabetically: bridge, forest, magnet, shadow, whistle, transforming to eibdgr, eofrst, aegmnt, aodhsw, eihlstw. Numbers in descending order: 74, 68, 52, 31, 19, transforming to 77, 71, 55, 26, 14 (even+3, odd−5).
Generating each step:
Step I: 77 shadow 19 magnet 52 forest 68 whistle 31 eibdgr
Step II: 71 77 shadow 19 magnet 52 whistle 31 eibdgr eofrst
Step III: 55 71 77 shadow 19 whistle 31 eibdgr eofrst aegmnt
Step IV: 26 55 71 77 19 whistle eibdgr eofrst aegmnt aodhsw
Cross-check
In Step IV the order from the left is 26, 55, 71, 77, 19, whistle, eibdgr, eofrst, aegmnt, aodhsw. Counting rightward from 77 the items are 19, then whistle, then eibdgr, so eibdgr lies three places to the right of 77. Independently, eibdgr is the 7th item and 77 is the 4th item, and 7 − 4 = 3 confirms the same gap.