Types of Seating Arrangement

1. Linear Arrangement

• People sitting in a row
• Can face North or South
• Left-Right relationships

2. Circular Arrangement

• People sitting around a circle
• Can face center or outside
• Clockwise/Anti-clockwise

3. Rectangular/Square Arrangement

• People at corners and sides
• 4 sides, 4 corners = 8 positions

Solving Strategy

Step 1: Read Carefully

• Note all conditions
• Mark definite positions first

Step 2: Draw Diagram

• Visual representation helps
• Mark faces direction

Step 3: Use Given Information

• Start with most definite clue
• Build around it

Step 4: Eliminate Options

• Check each option against conditions
• One by one elimination

Linear Seating

Example:

• 5 people: A, B, C, D, E
• A sits at one end
• B sits next to A
• C sits in middle

Solution:

Position: 1  2  3  4  5
Possible: A  B  C  ?  ?
          or
          ?  ?  C  B  A

Circular Seating

Important Points

Facing Center:

• Left = Clockwise
• Right = Anti-clockwise

Facing Outside:

• Left = Anti-clockwise
• Right = Clockwise

Example:

• 6 people sitting, facing center
• A opposite to D
• B to immediate left of A
• C not adjacent to A

Common Puzzle Types

Type 1: Ranking/Position

“In a class of 40, A ranks 15th from top. What is rank from bottom?”

Rank from bottom = Total - Rank from top + 1
                 = 40 - 15 + 1 = 26

Type 2: Comparison

“A is taller than B but shorter than C”

Order: C > A > B

Type 3: Floor Puzzles

• Building with multiple floors
• Who lives on which floor
• Who lives above/below whom

Solved Examples

Q1: 5 persons A, B, C, D, E sitting in a row. A and B sit together. C not next to A. D at one end. Find possible arrangement.

Solution:

D at end: D _ _ _ _
A and B together: D A B _ _
C not next to A: D A B E C
Answer: D A B E C (or reverse)

Q2: In circular table, 6 people facing center. A opposite D, B to left of A, C between D and E. Where is E?

Solution:

Draw circle:
- A opposite D (fix positions)
- B left of A (clockwise)
- C between D and E
Answer: E is to right of D

Important Tricks

Trick 1: Opposite in Circle

In circle of n people:

Opposite position = n/2 positions away
(Works only for even n)

Trick 2: Total Persons

If A is mth from left and nth from right:
Total = m + n - 1

Trick 3: Between Two

Persons between A and B = |Position_A - Position_B| - 1

💡 Pro Tip: Always draw diagrams! Practice with timer - 3-4 minutes per puzzle maximum.