If I'm right then they are asking about Binary Up Counter (basic counting of asynchronous counter)
So in the next Step it will increment by 1: i,e 1001100111 -> 1001101000 ; (615 -> 616)
Previously all the counter have the value as 615 i,e; 1001100111
Next step all will become as : 1001101000
So, last four bits complemented i,e 4 FFs will complement their value
Answer should be 4