Seven boys Ajay, Mihir, Rohit, Karan, Vaibhav, Nitin and Sanjay are sitting on a straight bench facing towards the north. Karan is sitting at the extreme left end and second to the left of Rohit. Mihir is the immediate neighbour of Rohit and Vaibhav. Nitin is sitting to the immediate left of Sanjay. Who is sitting second to the left of Mihir?
Ajay
Solving the Seating Arrangement Puzzle
This question involves a linear seating arrangement where seven boys are sitting on a straight bench facing North. We need to use the given clues to determine the exact seating order and then answer the question about the person sitting second to the left of Mihir.
Analyzing the Seating Clues
Let's break down the information provided and build the arrangement step by step:
- There are seven boys: Ajay, Mihir, Rohit, Karan, Vaibhav, Nitin, and Sanjay.
- They are on a straight bench facing North. Facing North means left is standard left and right is standard right.
- Karan is sitting at the extreme left end. This immediately fixes Karan's position at the first seat from the left. Let's represent the seats as 1 to 7 from left to right.
Arrangement so far:
K _ _ _ _ _ _
Positions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Karan is second to the left of Rohit. If Karan is at position 1, and he is second to the left of Rohit, then Rohit must be two positions to the right of Karan. This means Rohit is at position 1 + 2 = 3.
Arrangement so far:
K _ R _ _ _ _
Positions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Mihir is the immediate neighbour of Rohit and Vaibhav. This means Mihir is sitting between Rohit and Vaibhav. The sequence must be either R M V or V M R. Since Rohit (R) is at position 3, and there is an empty seat at position 2 to his left (where Karan is not next to him), Mihir and Vaibhav must be to Rohit's right. The only way Mihir can be between Rohit and Vaibhav is if the sequence is R M V, starting from Rohit's position. So, Rohit is at 3, Mihir is at 4, and Vaibhav is at 5.
Arrangement so far:
K _ R M V _ _
Positions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The remaining empty seats are positions 2, 6, and 7.
The remaining boys are Ajay, Nitin, and Sanjay.
- Nitin is sitting to the immediate left of Sanjay. This means Nitin and Sanjay are sitting together in that order (N S). Looking at the remaining empty seats (2, 6, 7), the only pair of adjacent seats available is 6 and 7. Therefore, Nitin is at position 6 and Sanjay is at position 7.
Arrangement so far:
K _ R M V N S
Positions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The only remaining empty seat is position 2.
The only remaining boy is Ajay.
Therefore, Ajay must be sitting at position 2.
Final Seating Arrangement
Based on all the clues, the final seating arrangement from left to right is:
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boy | Karan | Ajay | Rohit | Mihir | Vaibhav | Nitin | Sanjay |
Answering the Question
The question asks: Who is sitting second to the left of Mihir?
First, find Mihir in the arrangement. Mihir is at position 4.
Next, identify the positions to the left of Mihir (position 4). These are positions 3, 2, and 1.
- The person immediately to the left of Mihir (first to the left) is at position 3, which is Rohit.
- The person second to the left of Mihir is at position 2.
Looking at the final arrangement, the boy at position 2 is Ajay.
Therefore, Ajay is sitting second to the left of Mihir.
Revision Table for Seating Arrangements
Understanding the terminology for seating arrangements is crucial.
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Left/Right (Facing North) | Standard left and right from your perspective looking at the arrangement. |
| Immediate Neighbour | The person directly next to someone on either side. |
| Sitting between A and B | The person has A on one side and B on the other, directly adjacent. |
| N to the left of S | N is located anywhere to the left of S. |
| N immediately to the left of S | N is directly next to S on the left side. |
| N second to the left of S | There is exactly one person between N and S, and N is on the left side of S. |
Additional Information on Puzzle Solving
Seating arrangement puzzles like this require careful reading and step-by-step deduction. It's helpful to draw a diagram or use placeholders to represent the seats and fill them in as you confirm positions based on the clues. Always re-read the clues after you think you have the final arrangement to ensure all conditions are met.
Key strategies include:
- Starting with the most definitive clues (like extreme ends or fixed relative positions).
- Identifying individuals or groups that must sit together (like immediate neighbours).
- Eliminating possibilities as you place individuals.
- Listing remaining people and seats to fit the final clues.
Important Questions from Linear Arrangement
Eight friends, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, are sitting in two lines of four persons each. Both the lines are facing each other. A is facing D. E is to the immediate left of G. H is to the immediate right of B. C is facing G. F is facing H. B is to the immediate right of the person who is facing G. D is to the immediate left of F. Which four persons are sitting in the same line?
Nine employees, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R and S, are sitting in the office in a straight line, all facing the east. O is third to the right of M. K is third to the left of P. Q is between P and S. N is fourth to the right of M. P is to the immediate right of N. R is fourth to the left of O. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
Eight north-facing restaurants named P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W are located in a straight line. S is second to the left of T. W is third to the left of P. T is between P and V. S is third to the left of V. W is to the immediate right of U. R is third to the right of P. Who is sitting fourth to the right of S?
Anamika, Gopal, Nischal, Vanmayi, Shresta and Sripad are sitting in a straight line facing the north. Nischal is to the immediate left of Gopal. Shresta is between Anamika and Sripad. Sripad is at the second place from the right end. Four persons are sitting between Nischal and Vanmayi. If Gopal and Sripad interchange their positions, then who will be sitting between Vanmayi and Shresta?
A question is given, followed by two statements numbered (I) and (II). You have to decide whether the data provided in the statements is sufficient to answer the question. Read both the statements and select the appropriate answer.
Question: How many people are standing in the row where all people are facing north?
Statements:
(I) A is fourth from the left end; M is second to the right of A; and R is second from the left end.
(II) M is fourth from the right end; only two people Stand between M and B.
