Given an input, a machine generates pass codes for six batches each day as follows:
Input: These icons were taken out from the sea
Batch I: from sea the out taken were icons these
Batch II: from icons these were taken out the sea
Batch III: from icons out sea the taken were these
Batch IV: from icons out sea these were taken the
and so on.
If the pass code for Batch IV on a day was ‘back go here people who settle want to’, what was the pass code for Batch V on that day?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → back go here people settle to want who
Compare each batch with the one before it. In every batch the machine takes the word that comes first in dictionary order among the words not yet arranged, puts it after the words already arranged, and writes all the other words in reverse order.
Batch I: ‘from’ comes first in dictionary order; the other words of the input, these icons were taken out the sea, reversed are sea the out taken were icons these
Batch II: ‘icons’ comes next; the rest, sea the out taken were these, reversed are these were taken out the sea
Batch III: ‘out’ comes next; the rest, these were taken the sea, reversed are sea the taken were these
Batch IV: ‘sea’ comes next; the rest, the taken were these, reversed are these were taken the
Apply the same rule to the given Batch IV code back go here people who settle want to.
Words already arranged: back go here people
Words not yet arranged: who settle want to; of these, ‘settle’ comes first in dictionary order, so it goes after ‘people’
The other words, who want to, reversed are to want who
So the Batch V code is back go here people settle to want who.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) back go here people settle who want to — Incorrect. It places ‘settle’ correctly but leaves who want to without reversing it.
Option (2) back go here people want settle who to — Incorrect. It places ‘want’ next, but ‘settle’ comes before ‘want’ in dictionary order.
Option (4) Cannot be determined — Incorrect. Each batch is made from the batch before it alone, so Batch IV fixes Batch V.