Some boys are sitting in three rows all facing North such that A is in the…
20232025
Some boys are sitting in three rows all facing North such that A is in the middle row. P is just to the right of A but in the same row. Q is just behind P while R is in the North of A. In which direction of R is Q?
- A.
South
- B.
South-West
- C.
North-East
- D.
South-East
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: In row-based direction problems, first fix the orientation — since everyone faces North, 'right' corresponds to East and 'behind' corresponds to South, while a person placed 'North of' another sits in the row ahead of them (i.e. further North). Once each person's row and column are fixed this way, the direction between any two people combines their row difference (North/South) with their column difference (East/West).
A sits in the middle row — call it Row 2, the reference row.
P is just to the right of A in the same row, so P is in Row 2, one column East of A.
Q is just behind P; since everyone faces North, 'behind' means the row South of Row 2, so Q sits in Row 3, in the same column as P (one column East of A).
R is in the North of A, so R sits in the row North of Row 2, i.e. Row 1, in the same column as A.
Cross-check: Comparing Q (Row 3, one column East of A) with R (Row 1, same column as A), Q is two rows South of R and one column East of R. Combining a Southward row gap with an Eastward column gap gives the South-East direction of R for Q.
