Logical Reasoning · Codes, Relations & Directions
Order and Ranking — Questions & Answers
Order and ranking questions give positions from the top or bottom of a list or row and ask for a rank or the total. Rank from the top plus rank from the bottom equals the total plus one.
- 5 solved questions
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How to approach
Use: position from one end + position from the other end − 1 = total. So rank from the bottom = total − rank from the top + 1. After a move, first work out the old position from the same end.
Convert every position to the same end (usually the left) first. After a swap, each person takes the other's old place. Draw the row when in doubt.
Chain the comparisons into one line from highest to lowest. "Older than only T" means exactly one person (T) is below. Check that the asked position is fixed.
Turn each memory into a range ("after the 12th but before the 17th" = 13th to 16th), take the overlap, then apply the extra condition.
5 solved Order and Ranking questions
In a class of 40 students, Meera is 9th from the top. What is her rank from the bottom?
Solution — answer C
Rank from the bottom = 40 − 9 + 1 = 32nd.
5 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the problem
We need to find Meera's rank from the bottom of the class. We are given the total number of students and her rank from the top.
Step 2: Identify knowns
The total number of students in the class is 40. Meera's rank from the top is 9th.
Step 3: Find the rule
To find a person's rank from the bottom, use the formula: Rank from bottom=Total students−Rank from top+1. The "+1" is crucial because Meera is counted twice otherwise.
Step 4: Calculate the rank
Substitute the known values into the formula: Rank from bottom=40−9+1. This simplifies to 31+1=32.
Step 5: The answer
So the answer is (C) 32nd. Meera is 32nd from the bottom of the class.
In a row, Bala is 10th from the left and Chitra is 14th from the right. Bala is to the left of Chitra, and there are 5 people between them. How many people are in the row?
Solution — answer E
Total = 10 + 5 + 14 = 29.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the setup
We have a single row of people. Bala's position is given from the left end, and Chitra's position is given from the right end. We also know the number of people between them.
Step 2: Combine the segments
Since Bala is to the left of Chitra, we can directly add the number of people up to Bala, the people between them, and the people from Chitra to the right end. This covers everyone in the row.
Step 3: Calculate the total
Add Bala's position from the left (10), the 5 people between Bala and Chitra, and Chitra's position from the right (14). So, the total number of people is 10+5+14.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (E) 29. The total number of people is 10+5+14=29, which is option (E).
Among Anu, Bina, Chitra, Devi and Esha, Anu is taller than Bina but shorter than Chitra. Devi is shorter than Bina, and Esha is the tallest. Who is the shortest?
Solution — answer D
From tallest: Esha, Chitra, Anu, Bina, Devi. Devi is the shortest.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Find the Tallest
Start by identifying the person stated to be the tallest. The question clearly states that Esha is the tallest. This places Esha at the very top of our height order.
Step 2: Order Anu, Bina, Chitra
Next, consider the relationship between Anu, Bina, and Chitra. We are told that Anu is taller than Bina but shorter than Chitra. This gives us the order: Chitra > Anu > Bina.
Step 3: Place Devi
Now, let's place Devi. The problem states that Devi is shorter than Bina. Combining this with our previous order, we get: Chitra > Anu > Bina > Devi. Esha is still the tallest overall.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (D) Devi. By combining all the given height comparisons, we establish the full order from tallest to shortest as Esha > Chitra > Anu > Bina > Devi, making Devi the shortest.
Nila remembers that her aunt's visit is after the 12th but before the 17th of March. Her brother remembers that it is after the 14th but before the 19th. The visit is on an odd date. On which date is the visit?
Solution — answer D
Nila allows 13–16 and her brother 15–18, so the date is 15 or 16. It is odd, so the visit is on the 15th.
5 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Nila's Dates
Nila remembers the visit is after the 12th but before the 17th. This means the possible dates according to Nila are the 13th, 14th, 15th, or 16th of March.
Step 2: Brother's Dates
Her brother remembers the visit is after the 14th but before the 19th. This means the possible dates according to her brother are the 15th, 16th, 17th, or 18th of March.
Step 3: Find Common Dates
To find the actual date, we need to find the dates that appear in both Nila's and her brother's lists. The common dates are the 15th and the 16th.
Step 4: Apply Odd Date Rule
The question states that the visit is on an odd date. Out of the common dates (15th and 16th), only the 15th is an odd number. So, the visit must be on the 15th.
Step 5: The answer
So the answer is (D) 15th. The 15th is the only date that satisfies all conditions: after the 12th, before the 17th, after the 14th, before the 19th, and is an odd number.
Senthil is 17th from the left end and 23rd from the right end of a row of boys. How many boys are in the row?
Solution — answer A
Total = 17 + 23 − 1 = 39 (Senthil is counted from both ends).
5 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand the positions
We are told Senthil is 17th from the left end and 23rd from the right end of the row. This means there are 16 boys to his left and 22 boys to his right.
Step 2: Combine the counts
If we simply add Senthil's position from the left (17) and his position from the right (23), we are counting Senthil himself twice. Once as the 17th boy and once as the 23rd boy.
Step 3: Adjust for double counting
To find the total number of boys in the row, we add the two given positions and then subtract 1 to correct for Senthil being counted twice. The formula is: Total = Left position + Right position - 1.
Step 4: Calculate the total
Using the formula, we substitute the given values: Total =17+23−1. First, add the positions: 17+23=40. Then, subtract 1: 40−1=39. So, there are 39 boys in the row.
Step 5: The answer
So the answer is (A) 39. This is because Senthil's position from both ends means he is counted twice in the sum of the positions, requiring a subtraction of 1 to get the true total.
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