CAT based Questions: Seating Arrangement - Notes | Study CSAT Preparation for UPSC CSE - UPSC

Instructions: Answer the given questions on the basis of the information given below.
Example 1: Seven varsity basketball players (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) are to be honoured at a special luncheon. The players will be seated on the dais in a row. A and G have to leave the luncheon early and so must be seated at the extreme right. B win receives the most valuable player's trophy and so must be in the centre to facilitate presentation. C and D are bitter rivals and therefore must be seated as far apart as possible.

Correct Answer is Option (C).

• According to the given conditions, we can conclude:
  
• Hence, F cannot be seated at either end.

Example 2: Six persons are playing a card game sitting around a circular table. Suresh is facing Raghubir who is to the left of Ajay and to the right of Pramod. Ajay is to the left of Dhiraj. Yogendra is to the left of Pramod. If Dhiraj exchanges his seat with Yogendra and Pramod exchanges with Raghubir, who will be sitting to the left of Dhiraj?
(a) Yogendra
(b) Raghubir
(c) Suresh
(d) Ajay 

Correct Answer is Option (C).

• The correct original circular arrangement sequence in a clockwise manner is: Suresh, Dhiraj, Ajay, Raghuveer, Pramod, Yogendra. 

• So, after the changes, Suresh is to the left of Dhiraj. 

Example 3: P, Q, R, S, T, V and W are sitting in a straight line facing north. Each one of them lives on a different floor in the same building, which is numbered from one to seven.

• Q sits fourth to the left of the person living on the 6th floor.
• Either Q or the person living on the 6th floor sits at the extreme ends of the line.
• Only one person sits between Q and W. W lives on the 3rd floor.
• The person living on the 1st floor sits third to the right of S.
• S is not an immediate neighbour of W.
• Only one person lives between T and the person who lives on the 2nd floor.
• P and R are immediate neighbours of each other. P does not live on the 6th floor.
• One who lives on the 5th floor sits third to the right of the one who lives on the 7th floor.

Note: Solutions for these questions are given at the end of the document. First attempt yourself.

Question 1: Who amongst the following lives on the 4th floor?
(a) P
(b) Q
(c) R
(d) S
(e) V

Question 2: On which of the following floors does T live?
(a) 1st
(b) 2nd
(c) 5th
(d) 6th
(e) 7th

Question 3: How many floors are there between the floors on which V and P live?
(a) One
(b) Two
(c) Three
(d) Four
(e) None

Question 4: Four of the following five are alike in a certain way based on the given arrangement and thus form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group?
(a) W
(b) T
(c) S
(d) P
(e) Q

Question 5: Four of the following five are alike in a certain way based on the given arrangement and thus form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group?
(a) T – 2nd floor
(b) R – 7th floor
(c) V – 3rd floor
(d) S – 5th floor

(e) Q – 6th floor

Question 6: Which of the following is true with respect to the given arrangement?
(a) The one who lives on the 5th floor is an immediate neighbour of S.
(b) V lives on the 1st floor.
(c) T sits second to the left of the person who lives on the 2nd floor.
(d) R and V are immediate neighbours of each other.
(e) The one who lives on the 4th floor sits at one of the extreme ends of the line.

Question 7: If all the persons are made to live in alphabetical order from the bottom-most floor to the top-most floor (i .e. P lives on the 1st floor, Q lives on the 2nd floor and finally W lives on the 7th floor) who would still live on the same floor as the original arrangement?
(a) R
(b) V
(c) W
(d) T
(e) S

Common Solution for the Set:

• The following is the sequence for the given individuals (left to right): Either Q or the person living on the 6th floor sits at the extreme ends of the line. Q sits fourth to the left of the person living on the 6th floor.
• Only one person sits between Q and W. W lives on the 3rd floor. (three arrangements are possible)

• Here two arrangements are not possible because this statement contradicting The person living on the 1st floor sits third to the right of S. S is not an immediate neighbour of W. So, we are left with the second one So, S can sit left on extreme end.

• Only one person lives between T and the person who lives on the 2nd floor. T will sit between Q & W T will be on the 1st floor.
  
• Finally, S live on the 4th floor and V lives on the 2nd floor.

• S would still remain on the 4th floor.

Answer 1: (d) S lives on the fourth floor. The correct option is (d).
Answer 2: (a) T lives on the 1st floor. The correct option is (a).
Answer 3: (b) The required number of floors between floor V and P are 2. The correct option is (b).
Answer 4: (c) Because all other alphabets live on odd-numbered floors. Thus, the correct option is (c).
Answer 5: (e) Because the trend is adding one to the current living floor. But in Q it is subtracting 1 floor from the current floor. The correct option is (e).
Answer 6: (e) S lives on the 4th floor sits at one of the extreme ends of the line. The correct option is (e).
Answer 7: (e) S would still remain on the 4th floor. The correct option is (e).