Tips and Tricks to Solve Seating Arrangement Questions

Seating arrangement questions are one of the most important sections of any competitive exam. Although the question may be easy or difficult, attempting these questions is a real advantage because almost 90% of the time, the sitting arrangement question has 4-6 questions. Therefore, if you are able to arrange the objects or person properly, then with just a single solution, you can answer 4-6 answers in a single go.

Seating Arrangement Question

A question related to sitting arrangement generally consists of a few logical statements based on that arrangement of the people or objects that needed to be done. The students are required to work out an arrangement that helps them figure out the seating based on the assumptions and solve the questions. Hence, a student can score multiple points by solving a single problem.

Assumptions in seating arrangement questions

In a sitting arrangement question, the side you face is always assumed to be North. Therefore, if there is paper in front of you on which you are solving a question, then the top of the paper will be North, and the rest of the sides are assumed accordingly.

Types of seating arrangement questions

The seating arrangement question is of two types circular and linear. Generally, the table is always assumed to be circular, and a person sitting can look at either the centre or the opposite side of the centre of the table in a circular sitting arrangement question.

Linear Seating Arrangement Questions

Let’s try two questions to understand how to approach a question related to arrangement.

Example1. There are five people, Amber, Ben, Cathay, Dexter and Emily, standing in a line in increasing order of their height. Therefore the shortest person is on the left while the tallest is on the right side.

1. Amber is standing on either side of the row.
2. Ben and Cathy are not standing next to each other.
3. Dexter is the shortest and is standing next to Ben.

Q1. Who is the tallest of the five?

Q2. Who is standing in the middle of the line?

Q3.If a sixth person joins the line and is known to be the shortest of everyone. Who will be the 4th  tallest person in the line?

Q4. If it is told that Ben and Cathy must stand next to each other. Who will be the 3rd shortest person in the line?

Solution:

To solve this kind of question, first, start with the person whose name and features are given directly.

In the third sentence, it is given that Dexter is the shortest person, and also, it is mentioned that the shortest person must stand on the most left. Therefore, Dexter will stand at the left of the line. 

Now look for the other details related to Dexter.

In the third sentence, it is also mentioned that Ben is standing next to Dexter. Since Dexter is standing on the extreme left of the line, Ben has only one possible side to stand on, as shown below.

In the first sentence, it is mentioned that Amber is standing on either side of the line. Since Dexter is on the most left, Amber can only stand on the right side of the line.

In the second sentence, it is mentioned that Ben and Cathy are not standing next to each other. And since there are only two spots left, one is close to Ben and the other next to Amber. Therefore, Cathay is standing next to Amber.

Since only a single spot is left, Emily will stand there.

Now, since the arrangement is known, let’s answer the question.

Solution 1: Amber is the tallest person.

Solution 2: Emily is standing in the middle of the line.

Solution 3: If a sixth person joins the line and is known to be the shortest of everyone. Then the arrangement will look as shown below.

Hence, If a sixth person joins the line and is known to be the shortest of everyone, then the fourth tallest person will be Emily.

Solution 4: Since Ben and Cathy should be standing next to each other. Therefore, the arrangement will look as shown below.

Hence, the third shortest person in the line would be Cathy.

Circular seating arrangement questions

Example2: Eight people are sitting on a circular table A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. All are facing the centre of the circle. Few of the facts are known:

1. F is sitting to the right of H, who is sitting opposite G.
2. G is sitting to the left of A.
3. B and D are sitting opposite each other.
4. B is sitting between A and C.

Q1. Who is sitting to the right of B?

Q2. Who is sitting between B and G?

Q3. Who is sitting opposite A?

Q4. Who is sitting opposite C?

Solution

Firstly look for the details of a specific person given. Therefore, start firstly with the third statement. B and D are sitting opposite each other.

The fourth statement says B sits between A and C, but the exact location is not known; therefore, there will be two possible questions.

As per the second statement, G sits to the left of A since, in the above two cases, there is only one case where the place next to A is empty; therefore, one case will be rejected, and G will sit to the left of A.

As in the first statement, it is given that H is sitting opposite G; therefore, the arrangement will look as shown below.

Also, it is stated in the first statement that F is sitting to the Right of H. Therefore, F can be positioned as shown below.

Now, since there is only one single place left, therefore, this place will be taken by E.

Q1. Who is sitting to the right of B?

Ans: C

Q2. Who is sitting between B and G?

Ans: A

Q3. Who is sitting opposite A?

Ans: F

Q4. Who is sitting opposite C?

Ans: E

Conclusion

From the exam’s perspective, sitting arrangement problems are really important and are one of the most scoring subjects. Sitting arrangement questions are of two types: linear arrangement and circular arrangement.