REASONING

INPUT-OUTPUT

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 INPUT - OUTPUT

The rearrangement of random words or numbers to trace

the specific sequential pattern is known as the Input-
Output method. In these questions, the given input data
is transformed into pre-designed output through a few
systematic steps. The main challenge would be that the
instructions are not mentioned directly in the form of an
example to represent how a given input is transformed
into a pre-designed output. The input may be a collection
of elements in the form of alphabets or numbers or
words or any combination of these, which is processed
through a few systematic steps and transformed into the
pre-designed output. The output could be an
arrangement of the elements in ascending or descending
order, or in alphabetic or reverse alphabetic order, or may
be just shifting of the given elements. Using the given
examples, one must infer this process and solve the
questions following the same method. The best
approach to such questions is to practice as much
variety of questions as possible. Let us consider a few
examples.

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For Example, an electronic device, when fed with
numbers, rearranges them in a particular order following
a certain rule. The steps involved in the process of
rearrangement for the given input of numbers is as
follows-
Input: 19 13 29 11 17 23
Step I: 29 19 13 11 17 23
Step II: 29 23 19 13 11 17
Step III: 29 23 19 17 13 11
Step III is the last step (output) of the given numbers.
The given numbers are rearranged according to the
descending order with a single movement of the
elements. Also, if the element is already arranged at its
place, then skip that element untouched and move to the
next element. Keep doing the process till you reach the
last step or the desired output.
For example, an electronic device, when fed with
numbers, rearranges them in a particular order following
a certain rule. The steps involved in the process of
rearrangement for the given input of numbers is as
follows-

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 Input: 19 13 29 11 17 23
Step I: 29 13 19 11 17 23
Step II: 29 23 19 11 17 13
Step III: 29 23 19 17 11 13
Step IV: 29 23 19 17 13 11
Step IV is the last step (output) of the given numbers.
Although the input and the output are the same as that
of the previous example, but the rule here is slightly
different from the previous one. The numbers are
rearranged according to the descending order with the
interchanging of the elements. And rest of the logic is
still the same. Likewise, another type of arrangement
may be given that can be in increasing order.
Things one must take care while solving the questions of
Input-Output-
1. Observe the final arrangement (output) and
compare it with input given in the example.
2. Deduce the pattern involved by observing the
rearrangement of each element.
3. Whenever some element position itself without
consuming any step, leave the element untouched.

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 4. Make sure the method involves single movement
of element or interchanging of elements.
Solved Examples
Example 1: A word arrangement machine, when given an
input consisting of words, rearranges them following a
particular pattern in each step. The following is an
illustration of input and the steps involved in the
rearrangement.
Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV: Step V: Step VI:
success efforts efforts efforts efforts efforts efforts
is success is is is is is
the is success of of of of
sum the the success repeated repeated repeated
of sum sum the success small small
small of of sum the success success
efforts small small small sum the sum
repeated repeated repeated repeated small Sum the

Step VI is the last step (output) of the given

arrangement.
What will be the step V for the arrangement, ‘the best
way predicting your future is to create it’?
Solution: By observing, the rule here is that the given
words are rearranged in alphabetic order with a single
movement of the elements. Applying the same logic,

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Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV: Step V:
the best best best best best
best the create create create create
way way the future future future
predicting predicting way the is is
your your predicting way the it
future future your predicting way the
is is future your predicting way
to to is is your predicting
create create to to to your
it it it it it to

Hence, step V would be ‘best create future is it the way

predicting your to’.
Example 2: A word arrangement machine, when given an
input consisting of words, rearranges them following a
particular pattern in each step. The following is an
illustration of input and the steps involved in the
rearrangement.
Input: mistakes are the proof that you trying
Step I: you are the proof that mistakes trying
Step II: you trying the proof that mistakes are
Step III: you trying the that proof mistakes are

Step III is the last step (output) of the given arrangement.

What will be the step III for the arrangement, ‘forget the
mistake focus on lesson’?

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Solution: By observing, the rule here is that the given
words are rearranged in reverse alphabetic order with the
interchanging of the elements. Applying the same logic,
Input: forget the mistake focus on lesson
Step I: the Forget mistake focus on lesson
Step II: the On mistake focus forget lesson
Step III: the On mistake lesson forget focus
Hence, step III would be the last step ‘the on mistake
lesson forget focus’.
Example 3: Study the following input output flowchart
and answer the questions below.
Input: never buy a shortcut without proof
Step I: buy never shortcut a proof without
Step II: without proof a shortcut never buy
Step III: proof without shortcut a buy never
Step IV: never buy a shortcut without proof

And the process keeps on continuing. What will be the

step VII for, ‘if you smell what the rock is cooking’?
Solution: There is no specific rule here, the words are
rearranged in the following manner. Firstly, the words at
1st and 2nd position, 3rd and 4th position, 5th and 6th
position are interchanging with each other, then the 1st
and last word, 2nd and 2nd last word, 3rd and 3rd last word
are interchanging with each other. This process is kept

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on going till we don’t get the same input again. Applying
the same logic,
Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV:
if you is cooking if
you if cooking is you
smell what The rock smell
what smell rock the what
the rock smell what the
rock the what smell rock
is cooking if you is
cooking is you if cooking

Now, step V will be same as step I, step VI will be same

as step II, and step VII will be same as step III. Hence,
step VII will be, ‘cooking is rock the what smell you if’
Example 4: Study the following input output flowchart
and answer the questions below.
Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV: Step V: Step VI: Step VII:
pen to to to to to to to
book pen 97 97 97 97 97 97
89 book pen pen pen pen pen pen
To 89 book 89 89 89 89 89
73 73 89 book book book book book
pencil pencil 73 73 83 83 83 83
97 97 pencil pencil 73 clock clock clock
83 83 83 83 pencil 73 79 79
clock clock clock clock clock pencil 73 pencil
79 79 79 79 79 79 pencil 73

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Step VII is the last step (output) of the arrangement.
What will be the number of last step of the arrangement,
‘81 car time 49 25 so 64 eraser 36 paper’?
Solution: By observation, the logic here is that words and
numbers are arranged one by one with a single
movement of element in an alternate position. The is
word is arranged as per the number of letters in that
word in ascending order and the numbers are arranged in
descending order. Applying the same logic,
Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV: Step V:
81 so so so so so
car 81 81 81 81 81
time car car car car car
49 time 64 64 64 64
25 49 time time time time
So 25 49 49 49 49
64 64 25 paper paper paper
Eraser Eraser Eraser 25 36 36
36 36 36 eraser 25 eraser
paper paper paper 36 eraser 25
Hence, last step of the arrangement is step V.

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Example 5: Study the following input output flowchart
and answer the questions below.
Input: Step I: Step Step Step Step Step Step
II: III: IV: V: VI: VII:
pen to to to to to to to
book pen 97 97 97 97 97 97
89 book pen pen pen pen pen pen
To 89 book 89 89 89 89 89
73 73 89 book book book book book
pencil pencil 73 73 83 83 83 83
97 97 Pencil Pencil 73 Clock Clock Clock
83 83 83 83 pencil 73 79 79
clock clock clock clock clock pencil 73 pencil
79 79 79 79 79 79 pencil 73

Step VII is the last step (output) of the arrangement.

What will be the input of the arrangement, given Step II,
‘so 81 car time 49 25 64 eraser 36 paper’?
Solution: We can find the next steps from the given input,
but we cannot find the input from the given step as we
are not sure where originally the element was placed in
the arrangement. So, cannot be determined.
Example 6: Study the following input output flowchart
and answer the questions below.

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 Input: Step I: Step II: Step III: Step IV: Step V:
chocolate 9 81 9 10 1
vanilla 7 49 13 15 51
butterscotch 12 144 9 12 21
strawberry 10 100 1 5 5
mango 5 25 7 12 21

Step V is the last step (output) of the given flowchart.

What will be the last step of the input ‘carrot cauliflower
cucumber peas brinjal’?
Solution: Here, every step involves some operation that
need to be followed for each element.
In step I, each number represents the number of letters
of each word i.e., chocolate has 9 letters, vanilla has 7
letters and so on.
In step II, each number represents the square of the
number obtained in step I i.e., 92 = 81, 72 = 49 and so on.
In step III, each number represents the sum of digits of
the number obtained in step II i.e., 8 + 1 = 9, 4 + 9 = 13
and so on.
In step IV, the operation happening is + 1, + 2, + 3, + 4 and
+ 5 among the number obtained in step III.
In step V, the digits of the numbers in step IV are written
in reverse order.

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Applying the same logic,
Input: carrot cauliflower cucumber peas brinjal
Step I: 6 11 8 4 7
Step II: 36 121 64 16 49
Step III: 9 4 10 7 13
Step IV: 10 6 13 11 18
Step V: 1 6 31 11 81
Hence, the last step of the given arrangement, ‘1 6 31 11
81’
Example 7: Study the following input output flowchart
and answer the questions below.
Input: All Indians Are My Brothers And Sisters
Step I: 25 70 24 38 105 19 109
Step II: 10 0 8 24 0 9 0
Step III: J Z H X Z I Z
Step IV: Q A S C A R A
Step V: 17 1 19 3 1 18 1
Step VI: 1 1 1 3 17 18 19
Step VI is the last step (output) of the given flowchart.
What will be the last step of the input, ‘Change Is The
Only Constant In Life’?

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Solution: Here, every step involves some operation that
need to be followed for each element.
In step I, each number represents the sum of numbers of
the alphabetic position of each letter of the given word in
the input respectively i.e., All = 1 + 12 + 12 = 25, Indians =
9 + 14 + 4 + 9 + 1 + 14 + 19 = 70 and so on.
In step II, each number represents the product of the
digits of the number obtained in step I i.e., 2 × 5 = 10, 7 ×
0 = 0 and so on.
In step III, each letter represents the respective position
in the English alphabet of the number obtained in step II
i.e., J = 10, Z = 0 and so on.
In step IV, each letter is the corresponding letter obtained
in step III, when taken in reverse order i.e., 27 – 10 (J) =
17 (Q), 27 – 26 (Z) = 1 (A) and so on.
In step V, each number represents the alphabetic
position of letter obtained in step IV.
In step VI, the numbers are arranged in ascending order.
Applying the same logic,

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 Input: Change Is The Only Constant In Life
Step I: 38 28 33 66 106 23 32
Step II: 24 16 9 36 0 6 6
Step III: X P I J Z F F
Step IV: C K R Q A U U
Step V: 3 11 18 17 1 21 21
Step VI: 1 3 11 17 18 21 21
Hence, the last step of the given arrangement, ‘1 3 11 17
18 21 21’

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