In a row of 40 girls, Sneha was shifted 10 places to the right of Ritu and Ravi was shifted 10 places to the left of Veera. If Veera was twenty-sixth from the left and there were three girls between Ravi and Sneha after shifting, what was the position of Ritu in the row?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Data inadequate
The places are fixed from the clues one at a time, counting from the left end of the row of 40. Where a clue allows two places, both are followed to the end.
Veera is 26th from the left and Ravi is 10 places to her left, so Ravi is 16th from the left.
Three girls between Ravi and Sneha means Sneha is 4 places away from Ravi, on either side:
to the right: \(16+4=20\)th from the left
to the left: \(16-4=12\)th from the left
Sneha is 10 places to the right of Ritu, so Ritu is 10 places to the left of Sneha:
Sneha 20th: Ritu is 10th from the left, that is, \(40-10+1=31\)st from the right
Sneha 12th: Ritu is 2nd from the left, that is, \(40-2+1=39\)th from the right
Both rows fit every clue, and Ritu stands at a different place in each, so her position cannot be fixed from the data given. Option (3), 39th from the right, is only one of the two possible places.