Logical Reasoning: Ranking and Ordering

Concept Explanation

Ranking and ordering questions ask for position in a line (left/right, top/bottom), total count, people between two positions, or order by height, age, marks, or stacked objects.

Key formulas (row / queue)

• Total in a row: rank from left + rank from right − 1 (for the same person).
• Rank from bottom: total − rank from top + 1 (and the reverse for top from bottom).
• Persons between two from opposite ends: total − (left rank + right rank) when both refer to different people.
• After interchange (same person): total = old left rank + new left rank − 1; persons between the two swapped people ≈ new rank − old rank − 1.

Ordering (height, age, marks)

Chain statements like “A is taller than B” build a single order. Draw > arrows or list from highest to lowest before answering.

How to solve fast

1. Label left/top as one end and right/bottom as the other.
2. Apply the +/− 1 rule once; do not double-count the person counted from both sides.
3. For between-count, subtract both positions from total only when the two people face opposite ends.