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
17graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
In a queue of 12 people, Mohan is 7th from the front. What is his position from the back?
Practice 2easy
In a race of 8 runners, Priya finishes 3rd and Quincy finishes 5th. How many runners finished between Priya and Quincy?
Practice 3easy
In a queue of 50 people, Meera is 18th from the front. How many people are behind Meera?
Practice 4easy
Five friends—Anil, Bina, Chetan, Diya, and Esha—are standing in a line. Chetan is 2nd from the left. Diya is immediately to the right of Chetan. Anil is at one end. Which position is Bina in from the left?
Practice 5easy
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh's rank from the top is 12th. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 6easy
Seven books are arranged on a shelf. The English book is 4th from the left. How many books are to the right of the English book?
Practice 7easy
In a class of 40 students, Rajesh ranks 15th from the top. What is his rank from the bottom?
Practice 8medium
Seven friends—A, B, C, D, E, F, G—are standing in a line. D is exactly in the middle. B is 2 positions to the left of D. F is immediately to the right of D. How many people are standing to the right of B?
Practice 9medium
Seven friends—A, B, C, D, E, F, G—are standing in a line. D is 4th from the left. C is 2nd to the right of D. E is 3rd to the left of C. What is E's position from the left?
Practice 10medium
Five books—P, Q, R, S, T—are arranged on a shelf. R is not at either end. S is to the right of Q. T is to the left of R. Q is not at the leftmost position. Which book is at the 3rd position?
Practice 11medium
In a class ranking, Priya is 12th from the top and 19th from the bottom. Rahul is 5 ranks below Priya. What is Rahul's position from the top?
Practice 12medium
In a class ranking, Priya is 12th from the top and 19th from the bottom. Ananya is 5 ranks below Priya. What is Ananya's position from the top?
Practice 13medium
In a building with 10 floors, Apartment A is 3 floors above Apartment B. Apartment C is 2 floors below Apartment B. Apartment D is 4 floors above Apartment C. If Apartment B is on the 5th floor, which apartment is on the 7th floor?
Practice 14medium
In a race, Ravi finished ahead of Karan but behind Simran. Priya finished ahead of Ravi. Karan finished ahead of Deepak. Who finished in the 3rd position if there are exactly 5 runners?
Practice 15medium
In a race with 8 runners, Arun finished ahead of Bhavna but behind Chitra. Deepak finished ahead of Arun. Esha finished behind Bhavna. Fiona finished ahead of Deepak. Gita finished behind Chitra. Hira finished ahead of Esha but behind Bhavna. What is the minimum number of runners who definitely finished ahead of Esha?
Practice 16medium
Five books—P, Q, R, S, T—are arranged on a shelf from left to right. R is not at either end. Q is to the left of S. P is immediately to the right of Q. T is at one end. Which book is second from the left?
Practice 17hard
In a class of 45 students, Rajesh's rank from the top is 12th. Priya's rank from the bottom is 18th. How many students are ranked between Rajesh and Priya (both exclusive)?
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