Overview: Ranking | Logical Reasoning for CLAT PDF Download

What is Order and Ranking in Reasoning?

Order and Ranking reasoning broadly deals with the problems related to the arrangement of persons or objects in ascending or descending order based on different parameters like height, weight, merit, position, and so on. Determining the position of a person or object in a row or queue and the problems related to the time sequence test, wherein candidates need to find out a particular day based on the given conditions. 

Different types of order and ranking questions are covered such as sequential order or arrangement, position test, time sequence test, and so on. Several types of problems based on order and ranking reasoning sections are asked in various government competitive exams. 

Types of Order and Ranking

As now we know what consists of the questions related to the Order and Ranking input-output reasoning section. Let us see the various types of questions that may come one by one below. 

1. Ranking Based 
In this type of order and ranking reasoning, candidates need to find the position or rank of a person. Ranking based questions can be further divided into various categories and some of them are given below. 

• Rank from Left/Right: In these type of questions on order and ranking in reasoning, candidates need to find the position or rank of a person from left or right end, according to the given question. 
• Total Person in a Row: In these type of order and ranking reasoning questions, candidates need to find the total number of people in a row or a class. 
• Person between two people: This type of order and ranking reasoning is also known as overlapping based reasoning. In this type of order and ranking reasoning, candidates need to find the number of persons between two people when their rank satisfies the condition of overlapping. 
• Persons between two people: This type of order and ranking reasoning is also known as non overlapping based reasoning. In this type of order and ranking reasoning, candidates need to find the number of persons between the two people when their rank does not satisfy the condition of overlapping. 
• Interchanging the positions: In these type of order and ranking reasoning questions, candidates need to find the position of person or the total number of persons in the row when 2 people change their positions. 
• Ratio Based Problems: In these type of questions on order and ranking in reasoning, candidates need to find the position or rank of a girl or a boy when the ratio of them is given. 

2. Comparison Based
In this type of order and ranking reasoning, candidates need to compare different quantities to determine the correct order.

Sample Order and Ranking Questions

Given below are sample order and ranking reasoning questions to help you better understand the concepts behind them:

Q1: In a row of 60 cars, car A is 32nd from the right end. What is its position from the left end?
Sol: Position from left end = (Total number of cars + 1) – Position from right end
Position from left end = (60 + 1) – 32 = 61 – 32 = 29.
Hence, the position of car A from left end is 29.

Q2: Radha selected the 27th card from the left in a row of 50 cards. What will be the position of the same card from the right?
Sol: Total number of cards = Position of the card from right + Position of the card from left – 1

50 = Position of Radha’s card from right + 27 – 1
Position of Radha’s card from right = 50 – 27 + 1 = 24.
Hence, the position of the card from the right end is 24.

Q3: Radhika ranks 16th from the top and 13th from the bottom in a certain examination. How many students are there in the class?
Sol: Number of students in the class = 16 + 13 – 1 = 29 – 1 = 28.
Hence, “28” is the correct answer.

Q4: In a row of 54 persons, A is 35 from left side and B is 22 from right. Find the total number of persons between them.
Sol: 35 + 22 = 57 > total number of persons i.e. 54
Total number of persons between them = (35 + 22) – 54 –2 = 1
Hence, there is only one person between them.

Q5: In a row 54 persons, A is 15th from left side and B is 20th from right side. Find the total number of persons between A and B
Sol: 15 + 20 = 35 < Total number of persons.
Number of persons between the two end persons: = 54 – (15 + 20) = 19.
Hence, there are only 19 persons between them.