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
14graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Among five books, Book P is heavier than Book Q. Book R is lighter than Book S. Book Q is heavier than Book R. Which book is the lightest?
Practice 2easy
In a queue of 12 people, Arun is 7th from the front. Bhavna is 5th from the back. How many people are between Arun and Bhavna?
Practice 3easy
In a class of 40 students, Raj's rank from the top is 12th. What is Raj's rank from the bottom?
Practice 4easy
Seven friends A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are standing in a line. D is 4th from the left. How many friends are standing to the right of D?
Practice 5easy
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh ranks 15th from the top. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 6easy
In a race, Priya finishes ahead of Neha, and Neha finishes ahead of Meera. Meera finishes ahead of Pooja. Who finishes last?
Practice 7medium
Seven friends A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are standing in a row. D is 4th from the left. B is 2nd to the right of D. What is B's position from the left?
Practice 8medium
Among 8 books on a shelf, Book X is 3rd from the left. Book Y is 2nd from the right. How many books are between Book X and Book Y?
Practice 9medium
In a class of 40 students, Priya ranks 14th from the top. Her friend Meena is 10 ranks below Priya. What is Meena's rank from the bottom?
Practice 10medium
In a class of 45 students, Rajesh's rank from the top is 12th. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 11medium
In a race, Priya finished ahead of Neha, who finished ahead of Isha. Meera finished ahead of Priya. Isha finished ahead of Deepa. Who finished in the 3rd position?
Practice 12hard
Seven friends—Arun, Bhavna, Chirag, Deepak, Esha, Farhan, and Gita—are standing in a line. Bhavna is 4 positions to the left of Farhan. Chirag is immediately to the right of Arun. Deepak is 2 positions to the right of Esha. Gita is at one of the ends. Farhan is not at either end. If Arun is 3rd from the left, who is standing 5th from the left?
Practice 13hard
In a competition, 10 participants are ranked from 1st to 10th. Participant M's rank is such that the number of participants ranked below M is 3 more than the number of participants ranked above M. Participant N's rank is such that the number of participants ranked above N is twice the number of participants ranked below N. What is the rank difference between M and N?
Practice 14hard
Five people—P, Q, R, S, T—are standing in a line. The number of people standing to the left of P is equal to the number of people standing to the right of R. Q is standing immediately to the right of P. S is standing to the left of T. If R is not at either end, 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