Five friends took a test. Payal scored more than Komal. Reena scored less than Payal. Simi scored more than Tanu but less than Komal. Who among them scored the highest?
Payal
Analyzing Test Scores Ranking
This question asks us to determine who scored the highest among five friends based on given conditions about their test scores. We need to carefully analyze each piece of information to establish the relative ranking of the friends' scores.
Understanding the Test Score Conditions
Let's break down the statements provided about the friends' scores:
- Payal scored more than Komal. We can write this as: Payal > Komal.
- Reena scored less than Payal. This means: Payal > Reena.
- Simi scored more than Tanu but less than Komal. This gives us two relationships: Simi > Tanu and Simi < Komal. Combining these, we get: Komal > Simi > Tanu.
Combining the Test Score Relationships
Now, let's combine all the relationships we've identified:
- Payal > Komal
- Payal > Reena
- Komal > Simi
- Simi > Tanu
From relationships 1, 3, and 4, we can form a chain: Payal > Komal > Simi > Tanu.
Relationship 2 tells us Payal > Reena. However, the relationships do not specify where Reena stands in comparison to Komal, Simi, or Tanu. Reena could be higher or lower than them, but definitely lower than Payal.
Identifying the Highest Scorer
We are looking for the person with the highest score. Let's examine our combined chain and the separate relationship involving Reena:
- The chain Payal > Komal > Simi > Tanu clearly shows that Payal has a higher score than Komal, Simi, and Tanu.
- The separate relationship Payal > Reena shows that Payal also has a higher score than Reena.
Since Payal scored more than Komal, Simi, Tanu, and Reena, Payal must have the highest score among all five friends.
Based on the logical deduction from the given conditions, Payal scored the highest.
Revision Table: Test Score Ranking
| Relationship | Inequality |
|---|---|
| Payal scored more than Komal | Payal > Komal |
| Reena scored less than Payal | Payal > Reena |
| Simi scored more than Tanu | Simi > Tanu |
| Simi scored less than Komal | Komal > Simi |
| Combined chain | Payal > Komal > Simi > Tanu |
| Position of Reena | Reena < Payal (position relative to others is not fixed) |
Additional Information: Logical Deduction and Ranking Puzzles
This question is an example of a ranking or ordering puzzle, which falls under logical reasoning. These puzzles require you to deduce the relative positions or order of items (in this case, people based on test scores) using a series of comparative statements.
Key strategies for solving ranking puzzles include:
- Translating statements into inequalities or symbolic representations (like >, <).
- Combining related inequalities to form longer chains or sequences.
- Identifying items whose positions are not fully determined relative to all others, while still being able to answer the specific question asked (like identifying the highest or lowest).
- Using a visual aid like drawing a vertical line or list to place items in order as relationships are confirmed.
Solving such puzzles improves analytical thinking and deductive reasoning skills.
Important Questions from Ordering and Ranking
A medical representative plans to visit each of six hospitals — A, B, C, D, E and F — exactly once during the course of one day. He is setting up his schedule for the day according to the following conditions:
i. He must visit A before B and E.
ii. He must visit B before D.
iii. The third hospital he visits must be C.
Which of the following could be the possible order in which the medical representative visits the six hospitals?Sonam is older than Renu. Komal is younger than Renu. Priya is older than Sonam. Who is the eldest of them?
Five men P, Q, R, S and T are reading a newspaper. The one who reads it first, gives it to T. The one who reads it last, had taken it from R. Q is not the first or last one to read it. There were two readers between P and R. Who is the third one to have read the newspaper?
P, Q, R, S, T and U are standing in a queue. Q is just ahead of P. S is just behind T. U is NOT near R, who is separated from Q by two persons. Who is standing at the front of the queue?
Five students took part in a cycling competition. Robert finished before Monish but behind Gunjan. Anil finished before Sunil but behind Monish.
Who won the competition?
