Seven people D, E, F, G, H, I and J are sitting in a straight row, facing north. Only three people sit between D and H. E sits fourth to the left of J. Only D is between E and I. J sits third to the right of F. Who sits at the second position from the right end of the row?
H
Solving the Seating Arrangement Puzzle
This question requires us to determine the seating arrangement of seven people (D, E, F, G, H, I, and J) sitting in a straight row facing north. We are given several clues about their relative positions. To solve this, we need to combine the clues systematically to build the final arrangement.
Understanding the Clues
Let's list the given clues:
- There are seven people: D, E, F, G, H, I, J.
- They are in a straight row, facing north.
- Clue 1: Only three people sit between D and H.
- Clue 2: E sits fourth to the left of J.
- Clue 3: Only D is between E and I.
- Clue 4: J sits third to the right of F.
Step-by-Step Deduction to Find the Arrangement
Let's use the clues to build the arrangement. Since they are facing north, "left" is to the left in the diagram, and "right" is to the right.
- Consider Clue 3: "Only D is between E and I". This means the sequence must be either E - D - I or I - D - E. There are no other people between E and I besides D.
- Consider Clue 2: "E sits fourth to the left of J". This translates to E _ _ _ J. There are exactly three people between E and J.
- Now let's combine Clue 2 and Clue 3.
- Case A: Assume the sequence is E - D - I (from Clue 3). Combining with E _ _ _ J (Clue 2), the arrangement starts like E D I _ _ J. This sequence currently has 6 positions. Since there are 7 people in total, one person is missing and needs to be placed.
- Case B: Assume the sequence is I - D - E (from Clue 3). Combining with E _ _ _ J (Clue 2), E is fourth to the left of J. So, starting from E, moving 3 places to the right brings us to J. The arrangement is I D E _ _ _ J. This sequence has exactly 7 positions. This looks like a promising structure for the full row.
- Let's proceed with Case B: I D E _ _ _ J, as it fits the total number of people (7).
- Now use Clue 4: "J sits third to the right of F". In our current arrangement I D E _ _ _ J, J is at the rightmost position (position 7). For J to be third to the right of F, F must be at position 7 - 3 = position 4.
- Placing F at position 4, the arrangement becomes I D E F _ _ J.
- Next, use Clue 1: "Only three people sit between D and H". In our current arrangement I D E F _ _ J, D is at position 2. For three people to sit between D and H, H must be at position 2 + 3 + 1 = position 6.
- Placing H at position 6, the arrangement becomes I D E F _ H J.
- We have now placed I, D, E, F, H, and J. The arrangement is I D E F _ H J. The person remaining is G. The only empty spot is position 5.
- So, G must be at position 5. The final arrangement from left to right is I D E F G H J.
Verifying the Final Arrangement
Let's quickly check if the arrangement I D E F G H J satisfies all the given clues:
- Seven people: Yes (I, D, E, F, G, H, J).
- Straight row, facing north: Yes.
- Clue 1 (3 between D and H): D is at position 2, H is at position 6. People between them are E, F, G (3 people). This is correct.
- Clue 2 (E fourth to the left of J): J is at position 7, E is at position 3. E is 4 positions to the left of J (7 - 4 = 3). This is correct.
- Clue 3 (Only D between E and I): I is at position 1, D is at position 2, E is at position 3. D is between I and E. This is correct. (Note: The clue says "Only D is between E and I", which means the sequence is either E-D-I or I-D-E with no one else in between. Our arrangement I-D-E fits this perfectly).
- Clue 4 (J third to the right of F): F is at position 4, J is at position 7. J is 3 positions to the right of F (4 + 3 = 7). This is correct.
All clues are satisfied by the arrangement I D E F G H J.
Determining the Person at the Second Position from the Right End
The arrangement from left to right is:
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person | I | D | E | F | G | H | J |
Now let's look at the positions from the right end:
- 1st from right: J
- 2nd from right: H
- 3rd from right: G
- 4th from right: F
- 5th from right: E
- 6th from right: D
- 7th from right: I
The person sitting at the second position from the right end of the row is H.
Revision Table: Seating Puzzle Details
| Clue | Interpretation | Applied in Solution Step |
|---|---|---|
| 3 people between D and H | D _ _ _ H or H _ _ _ D | Step 5 |
| E fourth to the left of J | E _ _ _ J | Step 2, 3 |
| Only D between E and I | E D I or I D E | Step 1, 3 |
| J third to the right of F | F _ _ J | Step 4 |
Additional Information: Tips for Seating Arrangement Puzzles
Seating arrangement puzzles are common in logical reasoning sections. Here are some tips:
- Start with definite information or clues that link multiple people.
- Represent the arrangement visually (drawing a line for a row or a circle for a circular arrangement).
- For linear arrangements facing one direction, consistently mark left and right.
- Break down complex clues into simpler positional relationships.
- Consider all possible cases arising from a clue and test each one against the other clues.
- Eliminate cases that contradict any clue.
- Once a potential arrangement is found, verify it against all the original clues.
- Pay close attention to keywords like "only", "exactly", "between", "immediate left/right", and directional terms (left, right, north, south, etc.).
Important Questions from Linear Arrangement
Seven people, A, B, C, D, E, F and G, are sitting in a straight row facing the north. Only two people sit to the left of C. Only two people sit between A and B. B sits to the left of A. E is an immediate neighbour of A to the right. Only one person sits to the right of D. F is not an immediate neighbour of B. Who sits at the centre?
P, Q, R and S are sitting on a bench and facing in the same direction. P sits next to Q but not next to R. S, who is sitting on the extreme right, does not sit next to either Q or R. How many of them each have two neighbors?
5 boys A, B, C, D and E are sitting in a row. E is sitting between D and A, B is to the right of A, C is at one of the extreme ends and C and D are sitting next to each other. Which of the following statement is false?
Five friends Ram, Priya, Raunak, Aditya and Shyam are sitting in a row facing north. Raunak is to the right of Shyam and Priya is to the left of Shyam but to the right of Rama. Raunak is to the left of Aditya. Who is fourth from the left end?
Seven friends P, Q, R, S, T, U, and V are sitting in a straight line facing north. Q sits fifth to the right of T. Q does not sit at any of the extreme ends. Two people sit between U and R. S sits third to the left of V. S sits exactly in the middle. U is not an immediate neighbour of P.
How many people sit between R and V?
