Seating Arrangement - Study Material

 Seating Arrangement

In banking exams Seating Arrangement questions can be asked in itself or Data Sufficiency. Usually 10-12 questions can be asked from this topic, thus it can fetch you easy marks with right practice.

Introduction

• In seating arrangement, we are generally asked to arrange a group of people according to the given conditions. They may have to be seated around a table, the table could be of any shape-circular, square, rectangular, pentagonal or any other. To solve seating arrangement problems on the basis of the information given in the equation.
• It is one of the important part of the reasoning section for any competitive exam (specially Bank PO). In this part, questions are based on set of information containing set of conditions which gives hidden information followed by set of questions.
• These type of questions judge the ability of a candidates to analyze the information and solve the questions by the help of pictorial figures.

CONCEPTS:

 Linear arrangement: – In this arrangement, there can be single row or parallel rows facing each other or opposite.

(i) 

(Directions if the people are facing north)

(ii) 

(Directions if the people are facing South)

(iii) 

(Directions if the people are seating parallel to each other facing South and North)

Circular Arrangement: In this Arrangement, people are sitting around a circle facing towards or outside the centre.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

Rectangular/square Arrangement: In this Arrangement, people are sitting around a rectangle or square facing towards or outside the centre.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(People sitting at middle of the side, facing the centre and people sitting at edge/corner facing outside the centre)

Important points to be noted during solving the questions:

Step I: The data given in such questions specify the positions of some or all the individuals in arrangement. The positions are specified through conditions involving specified persons sitting (or not sitting) opposite each other or a particular person sitting to the right of left of another person etc.

Step II: Once you read the data, first draw the shape (Circle, square, rectangle, pentagaon, etc) specified in the data and then mark the slots (empty spaces) in the sitting arrangement.

Step III: Using all definite information, fill up as many slots (empty places) as possible. Means always be careful to choose the correct starting point. Those information which are (100%) confirm should be taken first.

Step IV: Never assume anything in the questions.

Step V: In case, if information cannot be use, mark that information and use them, later when the problems calls for it.

Step VI: Now, move on the comparative information. Taking comparative information and consider all possibilities and choose the possibility which does not violate any condition.

Step VII: Be careful with certain words like “not”, “only”, “who”, “and”.

Step VIII:  Some gender defining terms are like “him”, “her”, “he”, “she” will help you decode the information.

Some specific type of statements:

•  A is between B and C

In this case there are two possibilities

• A, who is 3rd to the left of B

•   A, who is third to the right of B

•  B is sitting to the immediate left of A, who is sitting to the immediate left of C.

• B, who is sitting to the immediate left of A and to the immediate right of C. 

• B and C are adjacent of A:-

 In this case there are two possibilities

Example 1:

Eight persons P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W are sitting in a circular table but not necessary in same order. Two persons sit between R and Q. Two persons sit between R and S. V sits third to the right of P who is not immediate neighbor of S and Q. W sits opposite to T. U sits immediate right of W. S does not sit third to the left of W.

Example 2:

Ten persons are sitting in two parallel rows containing five persons in each row such a way that there is an equal distance between adjacent persons. In row-1, A, B, C, D and E are seated and all of them are facing south. In row-2, P, Q, R, S and T are seated and all of them are facing north. Therefore, in the given seating arrangement, each member seated in a row faces another member of the other row.

T sits third to the right of Q. The persons facing P sits to the immediate right of B. Only one person sits between B and D. P sits second to the left of T.  A is not an immediate neighbor of B. Only two people sit between A and C. Neither B nor A faces S.