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
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh ranks 15th from the top. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 2easy
Seven friends A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are standing in a line. D is 4th from the left. What is D's position from the right?
Practice 3easy
In a queue of 50 people, Priya is 18th from the front. How many people are standing behind Priya?
Practice 4easy
In a race of 60 runners, Arun finishes 12th. How many runners finish after Arun?
Practice 5easy
In a building with 25 floors, Apartment 7 is on the 7th floor from the bottom. On which floor is it from the top?
Practice 6medium
In a queue of 15 people, Ravi is 7th from the front. Simran is 9th from the back. If Ravi and Simran swap positions, how many people are now between them?
Practice 7medium
Among 8 students, Kavya scored higher than exactly 5 others. Arjun scored lower than exactly 3 others. If no two students scored the same, how many students scored between Kavya and Arjun?
Practice 8medium
In a class of 40 students, when students are ranked by marks in descending order, Priya's rank is 12th from the top. Rahul's rank is 8 positions below Priya's rank. If 5 students are absent on the day of ranking, what is Rahul's rank from the bottom in the complete class of 40 students?
Practice 9medium
Seven friends—A, B, C, D, E, F, G—are standing in a line. D is 4th from the left. B is 3rd to the right of D. E is 2nd to the left of D. What is F's position from the left if F is between E and B?
Practice 10medium
In a race of 10 runners, Vikram finished ahead of exactly 6 other runners. Neha finished behind exactly 4 other runners. How many runners finished between Vikram and Neha?
Practice 11hard
Seven friends—Arun, Bhavna, Chirag, Deepak, Esha, Farhan, and Gita—are standing in a line. The following conditions must be satisfied:
1. Arun is not at either end.
2. Bhavna is immediately to the left of Chirag.
3. Deepak is exactly 2 positions to the right of Esha.
4. Farhan is at one of the ends.
5. Gita is not adjacent to Arun.
If Esha is in position 3, 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