Read the following passage and answer the given questions. A word and number sorting machine, when given an input of words and numbers, rearranges them in a particular manner step by step, as indicated below, until all the words and numbers are arranged. Given below is an illustration of this arrangement. Input: 37 50 FGN KZU 74 YNS 51 100 ORS 17 HPBM Step 1: 100 37 50 FGN KZU 74 YNS ORS 17 HPBM 51 Step 2: 74 100 50 FGN KZU YNS ORS 17 HPBM 51 37 Step 3: 50 74 100 FGN KZU YNS ORS HPBM 51 37 17 Step 4: 50 74 100 EFGNM KZU YNS ORS HPBM 51 37 17 Step 5: 50 74 100 EFGNM GHPBML KZU YNS ORS 51 37 17 Step 6: 50 74 100 EFGNM GHPBML JKZUT YNS ORS 51 37 17 Step 7: 50 74 100 EFGNM GHPBML JKZUT NORSR YNS 51 37 17 Step 8: 50 74 100 EFGNM GHPBML JKZUT NORSR XYNSR 51 37 17 And, step 8 is the last step of the above input, as per the rules followed in the steps given above; find out in each of the following questions the appropriate step for the given input. Input: ETU 75 GTQ 14 RTV 22 NTS 32 MTW 67 FSN 19 CER Which element is second to the left of 'GTQ' in the step 4?

### Concept & Pattern Logic In sequential output tracing, we must first decode the hidden rules applied to numbers and words by analyzing the illustration. **1. Number Logic:** In the first 3 steps, numbers are arranged. The highest even number goes to the left, and highest odd to the right. **2. Word Logic:** Once numbers are sorted (Step 3), words are arranged alphabetically one by one, adding specific predecessor letters to their front and back as they sort. ### Step-by-Step Solution Let us trace the given input fully based on the decoded logic. **Input:** ETU 75 GTQ 14 RTV 22 NTS 32 MTW 67 FSN 19 CER **Sorting Numbers:** * **Step 1:** 32 ETU GTQ 14 RTV 22 NTS MTW 67 FSN 19 CER 75 * **Step 2:** 22 32 ETU GTQ 14 RTV NTS MTW FSN 19 CER 75 67 * **Step 3:** 14 22 32 ETU GTQ RTV NTS MTW FSN CER 75 67 19 **Sorting Words:** In Step 4, the alphabetically first word (CER) is transformed (to BCERQ) and moved right after the sorted numbers on the left. The remaining words shift right. * **Step 4:** 14 22 32 BCERQ ETU GTQ RTV NTS MTW FSN 75 67 19 We look at Step 4: 14, 22, 32, BCERQ, ETU, **GTQ**, RTV, NTS... The element 'GTQ' is the 6th element from the left. Moving one position to the left gives 'ETU'. Moving a second position to the left gives 'BCERQ'. ### Exam Strategy & Shortcut Instead of writing the entire sequence if you only need Step 4, simply determine what is fixed by Step 4. By Step 4, the three even numbers (14, 22, 32) and the first transformed word (BCERQ) are locked in. The remaining original sequence (ETU, GTQ...) simply follows. Locating GTQ immediately reveals BCERQ is two spaces behind it. ### Common Pitfall A common error is confusing "left of" with "right of". Remember that the start of the sequence is the left side. Second to the left means moving towards the beginning of the sentence. ### Final Answer Therefore, the correct answer is **BCERQ**.