Step by Step Strategy to Solve Circular Seating Arrangement Puzzle

Key points to Remember:
Facing CenterLeft→ Clockwise Direction
Right→ Anti-Clockwise Direction
Facing Outside
Left→ Anti-Clockwise Direction
Right→ Clockwise Direction

Puzzle 1:

• Eight executives J, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q are sitting around a circular table for a meeting. All are facing Center
• J is second to the right of P, who is third to the right of K
• M is second to the left of O, who sits between P and J
• L is not a neighbour of K or N

Step 1: Assign Number from 1 to 8

Step 2: J is second to the right of P, who is third to the right of K( here who represents P)

Step 3: M is second to the left of O, who sits between P and J (First assign place for O who sits between P and J )

Step 4: L is not neighbour of K nor N implies ( L is not neighbour of K implies clearly his position as 8. Again L is not neighbour of N implies clearly his position as 5)

Step 5: Finally one who sits in the 7th position will be Q.

Q1: Who is to the immediate left of L?
a. Q
b. O
c. K
d. N
e. None of these

Q2: Who is the immediate left of K?
a. N
b. J
c. Q
d. Cannot be determined
e. None of these

Q3: Which of the following is the correct position of N?
a. Second to the right of K
b. To the immediate left of K
c. To the immediate right of M
d. To the immediate right of K
e. None of these

Q4: Who is third to the right of P?
a. L
b. J
c. O
d. N
e. None of these

Q5: Which of the following groups of persons have the first person sitting between the other two?
a. PJO
b. OPJ
c. OPM
d. MPO
d. None of these

Answers

1. None of these

2. Q

3. To the immediate right of K

4. L

5. OPJ

Puzzle 2:

• Eight persons J, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q are sitting around a circular area at equal distances between each other, but not necessarily in the same order.
• Some faces center while some faces outside.
• O sits second to the left of M
• M faces the center
• K sits to the immediate left of O
• Only three persons sit between K and J
• P sits third to the left of J
• L sits to the immediate Left of N
• Immediate neighbours of K face Opposite directions
• N sits third to the right of K
• Both N and L face opposite directions
• Q faces the same direction as K

Step 1: Assign Number from 1 to 8 and a tabular column for those who sits facing center and outside

Step 2: M faces Center

Step 3: O sits second to the left of M

Step 4: Only 3 persons sit between K and J (we don’t know whether they seated facing center or outside. So there are 2 possibilities for their positions)

                                         

Step 5: P sits third to the left of J (though we don’t know the direction J faces, there are 4 possible positions for P)

               

Step 6: Since 1st and 3rd positions are already allotted to M and O respectively, Exact Position of K, J and P will be 4, 8 and 5 respectively.

Step 7: Since P is 3rd to the left of J, the above diagram clearly implies that J is facing outside.

Step 8: K sits to the immediate left of O implies O is facing center

Step 9: Immediate neighbours of K faces opposite direction Implies, P faces outside

Step 10: N sits 3rd to the right of K (there are 2 possible positions for N )

From the above tabulation, position 1 is already allotted to M, so the exact position of N will be 7)                    

Step 11: From the above diagram, N sits third to the right of K implies K faces outside and Q faces same direction as K implies Q also faces Outside.

Step 12: L sits to the immediate Left of N implies 6th is the only position of L and also N faces Outside

Step 13: Both N and L face opposite directions Implies L faces center, and from the above diagram it is clear that 2nd position is for Q.

Q1: Who sits exactly between O and P, when counted from the left of O?
a. Q
b. K
c. L
d. N
e. J

Q2: Four of the following five are alike based on the given seating arrangement and so form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group?
a. P
b. J
c. Q

d. N
e. L
(Since, P, J, Q and N Faces outside while L faces Center)

Q3: Who sits second to the left of J?
a. M
b. K
c. L
d. P
e. Q

Q4: What is K’s position with respect to N?
a. Second to the left
b. Immediate left
c. Immediate right
d. Third to the left
e. Third to the right

Q5: How many persons in the given arrangement face the center?
a. Three
b. Two
c. Four
d. Five
e. One 

Answers

1. K

2. L

3. L

4. Third to the left

5. Three

Puzzle for practice:

• Eight Friends A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are sitting around a circle facing the center 
• A sits fourth to the left of D 
• C Sits second to left of A 
• E is not an immediate neighbour of D and A 
• H sits second to the left of B 
• B is not an immediate neighbour of A and E 
• G sits second to the left of F 

Q1: In which of the following groups of people is the first person sitting exactly in the middle of the second and the third persons?
a. GCB
b. ADF
c. BCG
d. HDE
e. None

Q2: Which of the following pairs represents the immediate neighbours of B?
a. EH
b. AE
c. CD
d. AG
e. None

Q3: Who sits third to the left of E?
a. B
b. G
c. A
d. D
e. None

Q4: Starting from A, If all the friends are made to sit in the alphabetical order of their names in the anti- clockwise direction, the positions of how many(except A) will remain unchanged?
a. None
b. One
c. Two
d. Three
e. Four

Q5: Four of the following five are alike in a certain way based on their positions in the above arrangement and so form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group?
a. HF
b. GB
c. ED
d. AC
e. BH

Answers:

Q1: d
Q2: c
Q3: b
Q4: a
Q5: c

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