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 of the following is the last step?

### 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 extreme left, and the highest odd number goes to the extreme right. **2. Word Logic:** Once numbers are sorted (Step 3), words are arranged alphabetically one by one. Each transformation of a word constitutes exactly one step, even if the word is already in its correct relative alphabetical position. ### 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 (Total 6 numbers, 7 words) **Sorting Numbers (3 Steps):** Because there are exactly 3 pairs of even and odd numbers to process, this will strictly take 3 steps. * **Step 3:** 14 22 32 ETU GTQ RTV NTS MTW FSN CER 75 67 19 **Sorting Words (7 Steps):** Alphabetical order required: CER, ETU, FSN, GTQ, MTW, NTS, RTV. Because every individual word undergoes a unique letter transformation, each word must be processed in its own dedicated step. * **Step 4 (CER $\rightarrow$ BCERQ):** 14 22 32 BCERQ ETU GTQ RTV NTS MTW FSN 75 67 19 * **Step 5 (ETU $\rightarrow$ DETUT):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT GTQ RTV NTS MTW FSN 75 67 19 * **Step 6 (FSN $\rightarrow$ EFSNM):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT EFSNM GTQ RTV NTS MTW 75 67 19 * **Step 7 (GTQ $\rightarrow$ FGTQP):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT EFSNM FGTQP RTV NTS MTW 75 67 19 * **Step 8 (MTW $\rightarrow$ LMTWV):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT EFSNM FGTQP LMTWV RTV NTS 75 67 19 * **Step 9 (NTS $\rightarrow$ MNTSR):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT EFSNM FGTQP LMTWV MNTSR RTV 75 67 19 * **Step 10 (RTV $\rightarrow$ QRTUV):** 14 22 32 BCERQ DETUT EFSNM FGTQP LMTWV MNTSR QRTUV 75 67 19 With all elements fully sorted and transformed, Step 10 is the final step. ### Exam Strategy & Shortcut You don't need to write out the entire trace to find the final step count. Count the operations required. There are 3 pairs of numbers requiring 3 sort steps. There are 7 words requiring transformation. Because the rule mandates transformation, no step can be "skipped" even if a word naturally falls into place. Thus, Total Steps = 3 (Number pairs) + 7 (Words) = 10 steps. ### Common Pitfall A common mistake is assuming that words already in their correct alphabetical order (like ETU following CER) do not require a step. However, because the machine also *modifies* the word by adding letters, the transformation itself constitutes an inescapable step. ### Final Answer Therefore, the correct answer is **10**.