Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept
You are given information about positions, rankings, or arrangements. Your job is to determine the exact order or find specific positions of elements in that arrangement
Key Rules
Always work systematically from left to right or top to bottom. When multiple conditions are given, satisfy all conditions simultaneously. Pay attention to words like 'between', 'immediately', 'adjacent', 'next to', and 'opposite'
Types of Questions
Linear arrangements (single row), circular arrangements, and ranking based on performance, height, weight, or age. SSC CGL frequently asks about finding positions, counting people between two positions, or determining who sits where.
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
1: Use the 'Anchor Method'. Find the most restrictive condition first and use it as your starting point. This saves time and reduces errors.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
D sits at one end. Let's place D at the left end: D _ _ _ _
2
Step 2
A sits two places to the left of E. This means there's exactly one person between A and E. Possible positions: A_E or positions 2 and 4.
3
Step 3
Since D is at position 1, A can be at position 2 and E at position 4: D A _ E _
4
Step 4
B sits immediately to the right of C. The remaining positions are 3 and 5. So C must be at position 3 and B at position 5.
Final arrangement: D A C E B
Verification: A is two places left of E ✓, B is immediately right of C ✓, D is at one end ✓
Shortcut Technique 2: Use the 'Elimination Method' for ranking questions. When given partial information about ranks, eliminate impossible positions systematically.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students often confuse 'left' and 'right' directions. Always maintain consistent orientation. Another mistake is not checking if the final arrangement satisfies ALL given conditions.
Many students also misinterpret 'between' (which excludes endpoints) and 'among' (which can include endpoints).
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL typically asks 1-2 questions on this topic. Questions usually involve 5-8 people or objects. Linear arrangements are more common than circular ones. The difficulty level is moderate, and these questions are scoring if approached systematically.
Key Points to Remember
Always establish a reference point (left/right or clockwise/anticlockwise) before solving
Process the most restrictive condition first to narrow down possibilities quickly
Use systematic elimination when multiple arrangements seem possible
Verify your final answer against ALL given conditions, not just some
Draw diagrams or use positions (1,2,3,4,5) instead of trying to solve mentally
'Between A and B' means A and B are not included in the count
'Immediately next to' means adjacent positions with no gap
In circular arrangements, there is no fixed left or right end position
Exam-Specific Tips
Linear arrangements have exactly 2 end positions (leftmost and rightmost)
In a row of n people, there are (n-2) middle positions
Circular arrangements of n people have n! arrangements, but only (n-1)! unique arrangements due to rotational symmetry
The phrase 'immediately to the left' means the very next position on the left side
When counting people between two positions, exclude the people at those positions
In ranking questions, if A is ranked higher than B, then A's rank number is smaller than B's rank number
The total number of people between positions x and y is |x-y|-1
In circular arrangements, every person has exactly 2 neighbors
Practice MCQs
Ranking & Order — Practice Questions
11graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Five students scored marks in ascending order: Arun, Bhavna, Chetan, Deepak, and Esha. Bhavna scored more than Arun but less than Chetan. If Deepak scored the second-highest marks, how many students scored less than Deepak?
Practice 2easy
In a race, Priya finishes before Deepa, and Deepa finishes before Meera. Meera finishes before Neha. Who finishes last?
Practice 3easy
Seven books are arranged on a shelf. The English book is 3 positions to the right of the Hindi book. If the Hindi book is at position 2, at which position is the English book?
Practice 4easy
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh ranks 15th from the top. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 5easy
In a class of 40 students, Raj's rank from the top is 12th. What is Raj's rank from the bottom?
Practice 6easy
In a queue of 12 people, Ravi is 7th from the front. How many people are standing behind Ravi?
Practice 7medium
Seven books are arranged on a shelf. Book P is 3 positions to the right of Book Q. Book R is 2 positions to the left of Book Q. If Book Q is in the 4th position, which position is Book R in?
Practice 8medium
In a race of 100 participants, Meera finished ahead of exactly 73 other participants. How many participants finished behind Meera?
Practice 9medium
Five friends—Anil, Bina, Chitra, Deepak, and Esha—are standing in a line. Chitra is taller than Anil and Bina. Deepak is shorter than Esha but taller than Chitra. Esha is the tallest. Who is the shortest?
Practice 10medium
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh ranks 12th from the top. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 11hard
Seven friends—A, B, C, D, E, F, and G—are standing in a line. The following conditions must be satisfied:
1. B is exactly 2 positions to the left of E.
2. D is immediately to the right of C.
3. F is not at either end of the line.
4. A is somewhere to the left of D.
5. G is at one of the ends.
If C is in the 3rd position, which of the following must be true?
60-Second Revision — Ranking & Order
Remember: Draw the arrangement as you solve, don't rely on mental calculation
Formula: People between positions A and B = |A-B| - 1
Trap: 'Left of' and 'Right of' depend on your reference direction - stay consistent
Technique: Start with the most restrictive condition to save time
Check: Verify final arrangement satisfies ALL conditions before marking answer
Key Words: 'Immediately' means adjacent, 'between' excludes endpoints
Pattern: SSC prefers 5-7 people linear arrangements over complex circular ones