CAT 2017 Slot 2 DILR · Question 26
A high security research lab requires the researchers to set a pass key sequence
based on the scan of the five fingers of their left hands. When an employee first joins the lab,
her fingers are scanned in an order of her choice, and then when she wants to re-enter the
facility, she has to scan the five fingers in the same sequence.
The lab authorities are
considering some relaxations of the scan order requirements, since it is observed that some
employees often get locked-out because they forget the sequence.
The lab has decided to
allow a variation in the sequence of scans of the five fingers so that at most two scans (out of
five) are out of place. For example, if the original sequence is Thumb (T), index finger (I),
middle finger (M), ring finger (R) and little finger (L) then TLMRI is also allowed, but TMRLI
is not.
The lab has decided to allow variations of the original sequence so that input of the
scanned sequence of five fingers is allowed to vary from the original sequence by one
place for any of the fingers. Thus, for example, if TIMRL is the original sequence, then
ITRML is allowed, but LIMRT is not. How many different sequences are allowed for any
given person's original scan?
- A.7
- B.5
- C.8
- D.13
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