Study the information carefully and answer the question that follows: (i) P,…
2018
Study the information carefully and answer the question that follows:
(i) P, Q, R, S, T, U and V are sitting around a circle and are facing the centre.
(ii) V is second to the left of R, who is to the immediate left of U.
(iii) P is third to the left of T.
(iv) Q is between S and T.
Which of the following is the position of U?
- A.
To the immediate left of R.
- B.
To the immediate right of P.
- C.
Between A and S.
- D.
Fourth to the right of S
Attempted by 9 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept
In a circular arrangement where everyone faces the centre, each person's LEFT is the clockwise direction and their RIGHT is the anticlockwise direction. "A is to the immediate left of B" therefore means A sits one seat clockwise from B; "X is nth to the left of Y" means X sits n seats clockwise from Y. Build the circle by fixing these clockwise gaps, then read off the asked position.
Application
From clue (ii): R is to the immediate left of U, so R is one seat clockwise from U. V is second to the left of R, so V is two seats clockwise from R. Clockwise so far: U, R, _, V (one empty seat between R and V).
Seven seats, so after V there are three empty seats before returning to U. Clue (iv) says Q is between S and T, i.e. S-Q-T is one solid block of three. It is the only block that fills those three seats, giving clockwise U, R, _, V, [block], with the block as S, Q, T or T, Q, S.
Clue (iii): P is third to the left of T, i.e. P is three seats clockwise from T. Only one filling works: P goes in the empty seat between R and V, and the block reads S, Q, T clockwise after V. Then counting three seats clockwise from T (T->U->R->P) lands on P, satisfying clue (iii).
Final clockwise order: U, R, P, V, S, Q, T (then back to U).
Cross-check
Where is U? Starting at S and moving to the right (anticlockwise) one seat at a time: V (1st), P (2nd), R (3rd), U (4th). So U is the fourth to the right of S. Re-checking every clue against U, R, P, V, S, Q, T confirms it: R is immediately clockwise of U, V is two clockwise from R, P is three clockwise from T, and Q sits between S and T. Hence U's position is "Fourth to the right of S".