Which item will stand in the middle if the following are rearranged in a…

Concept: In an arrangement/sequencing question, items are sorted according to the stated criterion — here, ascending order of mean distance from the Sun. For an odd number of items n, the middle term sits at position (n+1)/2 in the sorted order; for these 5 planets, that position is the 3rd.

Application:

1. Mean distance from the Sun increases in this order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn.

2. Assign positions: 1st Mercury, 2nd Venus, 3rd Earth, 4th Jupiter, 5th Saturn.

3. For 5 items, the middle position is the 3rd — occupied by Earth.

4. Earth is labelled Item 1 in the question, so the middle term is Item 1.

Cross-check: Two planets (Mercury, Venus) lie closer to the Sun than Earth, and two (Jupiter, Saturn) lie farther, confirming Earth sits at the exact centre of the 5-item sequence.

Hence, the middle term is Item 1 (Earth), so the correct option is "1".