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How to Solve Input Output Questions

Published on Thursday, December 25, 2014
In IBPS exams we can accept input output questions in logical reasoning section From the Input- Output section good number of questions have been asked in previous IBPS exams and also in RRB exams . We can accept nearly 5 questions based on input output series method. So understanding the concept of input output series method is very important

In this input output method   we are supposed to imagine that input is fed to machine . Machine process the input and arrange the input in each step
and produce the final output in the final step We have to determine the pattern and based on that solve the questions. A word and number arrangement machine when given an input line of words and numbers rearranges them following a particular rule in each step to produce final output

In this machine arrangement can be of following types

1)     Numeric numbers arranging in decreasing order in each step
2)     Words arranging in alphabetic order from A-Z
3)      In series there is both numeric and alphabetic words, so in one step number is arrange in decreasing order and in other step word is arrange in alphabetic order from A-Z.
4)      Number can be arrange by odd and even numbers. Odd numbers are arrange in decreasing order than even number in decreasing order.
5)      Words are arrange in alphabetic order in extreme left and numbers are arrange in decreasing order at extreme right in each step
6)      First words are arrange in alphabetic order than numbers are arrange in decreasing order.

We have given few examples which help you to better understand the input output questions

Problem :1

Q:- An Input /Output  device arranges numbers step-by-step in a particular order according to a set of rules. The device stops arranging the numbers when the final result is obtained. –

Input-   94   65   35 100 54  69
Step 1  100  94  65  35  54  69           
Step 2  100  94  69  65  35  54
Step 3   100  94  69  65  54  35

As per the rules followed in the above steps, find out in each of the following question the appropriate steps for the input given below :    

Study the above arrangement carefully and give the answer to the following question –


What is the last step of the input given below?

8        70  90 17 35 40


Solution :

Based on the above series  find the last step of the given arrangement. You will easily find out that the numbers are arranged in descending order. In the  step 1 higher number i.e.  100 is arranged come first , only one element in each step is arranged .Than in step 2, 94 is already arranged so 69  which is third highest number comes and so on .

Following these steps we have to find steps required to completed the above arrangement .

Input    8    70    90    17   35   40

Step1   90   8     70     17   35   40

Step2   90   70    8      17   35   40

Step3   90   70    40    8     17   35

Step4   90   70    40    35    8    17

Step5   90   70    40   35   17     8

Answer:  So 5 steps are required to complete the given arrangement . and from above we can tell last step i.e. 90  70  40  35  17  8

Problem :2

 Q: A word and number arrangement machine when given an input  line of words and numbers rearranges them following a particular rule .Following is the illustration of input and rearrangement

Input : lock   come  apple   them  done  square
Step1  apple  lock    come   them  done   square
Step2  apple  come   lock    them  done   square
Step3  apple   come  done   lock   them   square
Step4  apple   come  done    lock  them   square
Step5  apple   come  done   lock    square  them

As per the rule followed in the above steps find out in each of following questions the appropriate  steps for the input given below

Input:  hand   sand  major   your watch  action 

Q:1 How many steps would be needed to complete the arrangement

Solution :From the above input output series  we have to carefully see the pattern how the words are arranging in each step .Based on that we have arrange the words in each step and get final output .As in above pattern words are arranging in alphabet order A-Z in each step. So we can get final output based on that

Input: hand   sand  major   your watch  action 

Step1  action  hand  sand   major your   watch

Step2  action  hand  major sand your   watch

Step3  action  hand  major  sand watch your

As in step2 hand is already arrange in alphabet order so we arrange the next word in alphabet order in same step

So THREE steps are required to complete the given arrangement

Problem :3

 Q: A word and number arrangement machine when given an input line of words and numbers rearranges them following a particular rule in each step. The following is an illustration of input and rearrangement. 

Input: gone name 43 39 18 for again 66

Step 1 : 66 gone name 43 39 18 for again
Step 2 : 66 again gone name 43 39 18 for
Step 3 : 66 again 43 gone name 39 18 for
Step 4 : 66 again 43 for gone name 39 18
Step 5 : 66 again 43 for 39 gone name 18
Step 6 : 66 again 43 for 39 gone name 18
Step 7 : 66 again 43 for 39 gone 18 name


As per the rule followed in the above steps find out in each of following questions the appropriate  steps for the input given below :



 ·  Input: their 19 27 dent are 91 hour zero 31 16 chairs.

    Which of the following will be step 4 ?

A) 91 are 31 their 19 27 dent hour zero 16 chairs
B.) 91 their 19 27 dent are hour zero 31 16 chairs
C.) 91 are 31 chairs their 19 27 dent hour zero 16
D.) 91 are 31 chairs 27 dent 19 their hour zero 16

Solution 1 : From the above arrangement pattern we find that  it consist of two series the numeric number  series and alphabet series . The numeric numbers are arranged in decreasing order and alphabet are arranged with first alphabet of every word  from A-Z alphabet which appear first to lower down in series and in one step number is arranged and in other step a word is arranged .


Input: their 19 27 dent are 91 hour zero 31 16 chairs

Step1  91  their 19  27  dent are  hour zero 31 16 chairs
Step2  91  are  their 19   27  dent hour zero 31 16 chairs
Step3  91  are   31  their  19   27 dent hour zero16 chairs
Step4  91  are   31 chairs their 19 27  dent hour zero 16
Step5  91  are   31 chairs 27  their 19  dent hour zero 16
Step6  91  are  31  chairs  27  dent their 19  hour zero 16
Step7  91  are  31 chairs  27  dent  19   their hour zero 16
Step8  91  are  31 chairs 27  dent  19    hour  their zero 16
Step9  91 are   31 chairs 27  dent  19   hour   16 their  zero

So from above arrangement we can tell what the possible arrangement in step 4

Answer –C

2.Which of the following would be final arrangement ?

A) 91 are their 27   19  dent  hour zero 31  16    chairs
B) 91 are   31 chairs 27  dent  19   hour   16 their  zero
C) 91  are  31 chairs  27 19   dent  hour  16  their zero
D) 91  are  31  chairs 27 dent  19   zero hour 16   their

Answer – B , We can easily find out the step four from the above.


3.Which of the following would be the Step 1 ?

A) 91 their 19   are 27   dent  hour zero 31  16    chairs
B) 91 are   31 chairs 27  dent  19   hour   16 their  zero
C) 91  are  31 chairs  27 19   dent  hour  16  their zero
D) 91  chairs are  31  27 dent  19   zero hour 16   their
E) Non of these

Answer : E) Non of these .As none of given options matches with Step 1

Problem: 4

Q: A word and number arrangement machine when given an input line of words and numbers rearranges them following a particular rule in each step. The following is an illustration of input and rearrangement               

Input: sap    28   have 18  99    48   luck   nice  78  ramp
Step1 have  sap   28    18  48  luck  nice   78   ramp  99
Step2 luck  have sap   28  18   48    nice  ramp  99   78
Step3 nice  luck  have sap 28   18    ramp 99    78 48
Step4 ramp  nice luck have sap 18      99 78 48 28
Step5 sap   ramp  nice luck  have 99   78 48 28 18

 As per the rule followed in the above steps find out in each of following questions the appropriate  steps for the input given below

Input:  49   late  zen  15  82  yet  can  vast  33  alt  87  54


Q:1 How many steps would be needed to complete the arrangement?

1) IV           2) V            3)VI     4)VII           5)Non of these

Solution : From careful analysis of the given input , various steps of rearrangement in step 1 word which will appear first in dictionary is placed at extreme left position and highest number is placed in extreme right position . In step 2 word which appear second place in dictionary is placed at extreme left and second highest number is placed at extreme right .same is followed in all next steps


Input:  49   late  zen  15  82  yet  can  vast  33  alt  87  54
Step 1  alt    49  late   zen 15  82  yet  can  vast  33  54  87
Step2   can   alt  49   late  zen 15 yet  vast  33   54  87  82
Step3   late  can alt     49 zen  15 yet  vast  33 87   82  54
Step4   vast late  can   alt zen 15 yet   33    87   82  54 49
Step5     yet vast  late  can alt zen 15  87    82   54 49 33
Step6    zen yet  vast  late can alt  87 82     54 49 33 15 

Answer : 3) VI


Q2:Which step number would be the following output :

Vast late can alt zen 15 yet 33 87 82 54 49

1) III           2)II        3) VII            4)IV    5) None of these

Solution : From the above series we can find out which is the step
Answer :  4 ) IV


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