Mr. A, Miss B, Mr. C, and Miss D are seated around a circular table, all…
2010
Mr. A, Miss B, Mr. C, and Miss D are seated around a circular table, all facing the centre, and each has a different trade: tailor, barber, cook, or washerman. (i) Mr. A sits opposite the cook. (ii) Miss B sits immediately to the right of the barber. (iii) The washerman sits immediately to the left of the tailor. (iv) Miss D sits opposite Mr. C. What are the trades of A and B?
Answer: C. Tailor and cook — ConceptIn a four-person circular arrangement, if one opposite pair is known, the two remaining people form the other opposite pair. For people facing the…
- A.
Tailor and barber
- B.
Barber and cook
- C.
Tailor and cook
- D.
Tailor and washerman
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
In a four-person circular arrangement, if one opposite pair is known, the two remaining people form the other opposite pair.
For people facing the centre, immediate left and immediate right are applied consistently around the circle; identities and trades can then be assigned by eliminating already-used values.
Application
Miss D sits opposite Mr. C, so the remaining pair, Mr. A and Miss B, must sit opposite each other.
Mr. A sits opposite the cook. Since Miss B is opposite Mr. A, Miss B is the cook.
Place Miss B immediately to the right of the barber. The barber therefore occupies the adjacent seat immediately to Miss B’s left.
Use the remaining clue that the washerman is immediately to the left of the tailor. With the cook and barber fixed, this places the washerman with the remaining adjacent person and assigns the tailor’s trade to Mr. A.
Person | Trade |
|---|---|
Mr. A | Tailor |
Miss B | Cook |
Cross-check
The assignment keeps A opposite the cook, places B immediately right of the barber, places the washerman immediately left of the tailor, and keeps C opposite D.
Result
Therefore, A is the tailor and B is the cook.