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Question

Five persons A, B, C, D, and E are sitting in a row with C in the middle of the group. If D is at an extreme end and there are at least two persons between B and E, then which of the following statements is incorrect?

The correct answer is
A is always a neighbour of B or D

The problem asks to identify the incorrect statement based on the seating arrangement of five persons: A, B, C, D, and E.

Analyzing Seating Constraints

  • There are 5 positions in the row: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
  • C is in the middle: C is at position 3. Arrangement: $_ _ C _ _$
  • D is at an extreme end: D is either at position 1 or position 5.
  • At least two persons between B and E: The number of positions between B and E must be 2 or more. This implies the difference in their positions must be at least 3 (e.g., position 1 and 4, or 1 and 5, or 2 and 5). Mathematically, $|Pos(B) - Pos(E)| \ge 3$.

Determining Possible Arrangements

We consider the two cases for D's position:

  1. Case 1: D is at position 1.

    Arrangement: $D _ C _ _$

    Positions available for B and E are 2, 4, 5. To satisfy $|Pos(B) - Pos(E)| \ge 3$, B and E must occupy positions 2 and 5. The remaining person, A, takes position 4.

    • Subcase 1a: B at 2, E at 5. Arrangement: $D B C A E$. (Positions 3 and 4 are between B and E).
    • Subcase 1b: E at 2, B at 5. Arrangement: $D E C A B$. (Positions 3 and 4 are between E and B).
  2. Case 2: D is at position 5.

    Arrangement: $_ _ C _ D$

    Positions available for B and E are 1, 2, 4. To satisfy $|Pos(B) - Pos(E)| \ge 3$, B and E must occupy positions 1 and 4. The remaining person, A, takes position 2.

    • Subcase 2a: B at 1, E at 4. Arrangement: $B A C E D$. (Positions 2 and 3 are between B and E).
    • Subcase 2b: E at 1, B at 4. Arrangement: $E A C B D$. (Positions 2 and 3 are between E and B).

The possible valid arrangements are: $D B C A E$, $D E C A B$, $B A C E D$, $E A C B D$.

Evaluating the Statements

Now, let's check each statement against these arrangements:

  • Statement 1: E can be on extreme left.

    This is true in arrangement $E A C B D$, where E is at position 1.

  • Statement 2: E can be on extreme right.

    This is true in arrangement $D B C A E$, where E is at position 5.

  • Statement 3: A cannot be on extreme left.

    In all derived arrangements (A is at position 4 or 2), A is never at the extreme left (position 1). This statement is true.

  • Statement 4: A is always a neighbour of B or D.
    • In $D B C A E$: A is at position 4. Neighbours are C (3) and E (5). A is not adjacent to B (2) or D (1). This contradicts the statement.
    • In $D E C A B$: A is at position 4. Neighbours are C (3) and B (5). A is adjacent to B. Statement holds.
    • In $B A C E D$: A is at position 2. Neighbours are B (1) and C (3). A is adjacent to B. Statement holds.
    • In $E A C B D$: A is at position 2. Neighbours are E (1) and C (3). A is not adjacent to B (4) or D (5). This contradicts the statement.

    Since the statement "A is *always* a neighbour of B or D" is false for arrangements $D B C A E$ and $E A C B D$, the statement itself is incorrect.

Conclusion

The statement that is incorrect is "A is always a neighbour of B or D".

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Important Questions from Seating Arrangement (Notes)

  1. Read the directions carefully and give the answer from the given options. 

    P, Q, R, S, T, K, L, M and N are sitting around a circle facing the centre. 

    K is $4^{th}$ to the right of P and P is $3^{rd}$ to the right of Q. 

    N is $4^{th}$ to the left of Q and $3^{rd}$ to the right of S. 

    R is $2^{nd}$ to the right of M and M is the immediate neighbour of P. 

    T is $2^{nd}$ to the left of L. 

    Who is to the immediate left of K?

  2. Seven people, F, J, M, L, R, V and X, are sitting in a row, facing north.
    Only three people sit to the left of X. Only M sits to the right of R. Only three people sit between R and V. J sits at some place to the left of L but at some place to the right of F.
    How many people sit to the left of V?

  3. Seven boxes, A, B, C, D, E, F and G, are kept one over the other but not necessarily in the same order. Only A is kept above F. Only D is kept between F and C. Only E is kept below B. How many boxes are kept below C?

  4. P, Q, R, S, T, U and V are sitting in a row, facing north. No one sits to the left of U. Only four people sit between U and R. Only three people sit to the right of V. P sits to the immediate left of S. Q is not an immediate neighbour of V. How many people sit between P and T?

  5. Six people, B, C, D, I, J and K, are sitting around a circular table facing the centre. Only two people sit between B and I when counted from the right of I. K sits to the immediate left of J. I sits to the immediate right of C. Who among the following are the immediate neighbours of D?

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