Six people A, H, K, N, S and U are sitting in a circle facing the centre, not necessarily in the same order. K is the only person sitting between N and U. H is second to the left of U. S is second to the right of A. Which of the following must be true?
(A) S is the immediate neighbour of H.
(B) H and A are not immediate neighbours.
(C) U is sitting between S and A.
(D) A is sitting immediate right of N.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A) and (D) only
For people sitting round a circle and facing the centre, a person’s left is the clockwise direction and the right is anticlockwise. The clues are placed one at a time:
K is the only person between N and U, so N, K and U sit together in that order.
H is second to the left of U:
If U is clockwise of K (N, K, U), H sits two places clockwise of U.
If U is anticlockwise of K (U, K, N), two places clockwise of U is N’s seat, so this order is ruled out.
Clockwise the seats are now N, K, U, (empty), H, (empty). S is second to the right of A, that is, two places anticlockwise of A:
A in the seat after H puts S in the seat after U.
A in the seat after U would put S on K’s seat, so it is ruled out.
The only arrangement, clockwise, is N, K, U, S, H, A.
(A) S is the immediate neighbour of H. Correct. S and H sit side by side.
(B) H and A are not immediate neighbours. Incorrect. H and A are next to each other, so they are immediate neighbours.
(C) U is sitting between S and A. Incorrect. U sits between K and S; A is on the other side of the circle.
(D) A is sitting immediate right of N. Correct. The seat on N’s right is the one anticlockwise of N, and A sits there.