Solving the Circular Seating Arrangement Puzzle

This question involves a circular seating arrangement puzzle where six friends, P, Q, R, S, T, and U, are sitting around a circle facing the centre. We are given several clues about their relative positions and need to determine who is sitting to the immediate right of R.

Analyzing the Given Clues

Let's break down the information provided:

• Six friends: P, Q, R, S, T, U.
• Sitting in a closed circle, facing the centre.
• Each one is facing another one (implying they are opposite each other).
• Clue 1: P is facing S. In a circle of 6 people, facing means being directly opposite, which is typically 3 positions away from each other (if positions are numbered 1 to 6).
• Clue 2: R is between P and Q. This means R is a neighbour to both P and Q. In a circular arrangement, there are two possible spots for 'between'.
• Clue 3: T is sitting to the immediate right of S. When facing the centre of a circle, 'immediate right' refers to the person located one position clockwise from the reference person.

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's build the arrangement using the clues.

1. Place P and S: From Clue 1, P is facing S. Let's arbitrarily place P at the top of the circle. S will be directly opposite P.

   Position	Person	Opposite Person
   1 (Top)	P	S
   4 (Bottom)	S	P

   
   

2. Place T relative to S: From Clue 3, T is to the immediate right of S. Since they are facing the centre, 'right' is clockwise. If S is at position 4, the position to its immediate right (clockwise) is position 5.

   Position	Person
   1	P
   4	S
   5	T

   
   

3. Place R and Q relative to P: From Clue 2, R is between P and Q. This means R and Q are the neighbours of P. In our setup, P is at position 1. The neighbours of position 1 are position 6 (anti-clockwise) and position 2 (clockwise).

   • Possibility A: R is at position 2, and Q is at position 3 (P-R-Q clockwise).
   • Possibility B: R is at position 6, and Q is at position 5 (P-R-Q anti-clockwise, meaning Q-R-P clockwise).

4. Evaluate Possibilities: Let's integrate this with the placement of T.

   • Consider Possibility A (P-R-Q clockwise): If P is at 1, R is at 2, Q is at 3. We already placed S at 4 and T at 5. This arrangement looks like: P(1), R(2), Q(3), S(4), T(5). All positions 1 to 5 are filled. The remaining person is U, who must be at position 6. Let's check if this fits all clues:
     • P facing S: P(1) faces S(4) - Yes.
     • R is between P and Q: R(2) is between P(1) and Q(3) - Yes.
     • T is immediate right of S: T(5) is immediate right (clockwise) of S(4) - Yes.
     This arrangement P-R-Q-S-T-U (clockwise) fits all conditions.
   • Consider Possibility B (Q-R-P clockwise, so Q at 5, R at 6): If P is at 1, R is at 6, Q is at 5. We already placed T at position 5. This is a conflict - both Q and T cannot be in position 5. So, Possibility B is incorrect.

5. Final Arrangement: The correct arrangement in clockwise order is P, R, Q, S, T, U.

   Order (Clockwise)
   P → R → Q → S → T → U → P

   
   

6. Identify the person to the immediate right of R: In the final arrangement (P → R → Q → S → T → U), the person immediately following R in the clockwise direction is Q.

Conclusion

Based on the logical deduction from the given clues, the person sitting to the immediate right of R is Q.

Revision Table: Seating Arrangement Clues

Additional Information: Solving Seating Puzzles

Seating arrangement puzzles are common in logical reasoning sections of competitive exams. Here are some tips for solving them:

• Always start with a fixed position based on the clues. Fixing one person's position helps build the rest of the arrangement.
• Look for clues that link people directly or indirectly. Clues about facing each other or being immediate neighbours are very useful.
• For circular arrangements, remember that 'right' is usually clockwise and 'left' is usually anti-clockwise when everyone is facing the centre. The reverse is true if they are facing outwards.
• If there are multiple possibilities initially, explore each one systematically until you find the one that satisfies all conditions. Eliminate possibilities that lead to contradictions.
• Draw a diagram! Visualizing the circle and filling in positions as you deduce them is crucial for avoiding errors. Numbering positions can also be helpful.
• Keep track of the people who have been placed and those who are remaining.