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SBI PO type high level circular seating reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 4

Strategic selection of a group of statements for first placement and logic table level alternative creation for efficient solution

sbi-po-type-high-level-circular-seating-resoning-puzzle-solved-4-cover

This is the fourth session on solving a SBI PO type high level reasoning puzzle in a few easy and confident steps without confusion. Logic table adapted for round table and strategic selection of logic conditions for execution enable quick solution without confusion for this circular seating reasoning puzzle with a special characteristic.

The special characteristic is in half of the eight parsons facing out and the other half facing in. This makes determination of right or left complex and provides the chief interest in the problem.

For detailed concepts on the fundamental techniques and strategies in solving this type of logic puzzles you should refer to our tutorial sessions,

How to solve SBI PO level logic puzzles in a few simple steps 1

How to solve SBI PO level logic puzzles in a few simple steps 2

How to solve SBI PO level family relation problems in a few simple steps 3

How to solve SBI PO level floor stay Reasoning Puzzle in a few confident steps 4

How to solve high level circular seating reasoning puzzles for SBI PO in confident steps 5

How to solve high level hard two row seating reasoning puzzles for SBI PO in confident steps 6

Note: Before going through the solution of the problem, try to solve the problem in a suitably timed exercise session.


SBI PO type high level Circular Seating Reasoning Puzzle with two directional facing: Who is from which city, sits at which position and faces in or out?

Problem description

Eight friends, Tej, Vicky, Rup, Gaur, Rio, Anik, Sam and Pintu, are sitting around a circular table, not necessarily in the same order. Four of them are facing inside and the rest are facing outside. They belong to eight different cities, viz. Delhi, Pune, Bhopal, Patna, Kolkata, Kota, Chennai and Agra, but not necessarily in the same order.

Conditional statements

  1. Anik faces the Centre and sits third to the right of Rup.
  2. Gaur belongs to Kolkata and faces the person who belongs to Kota.
  3. Sam sits third to the right of Vicky, who stays in Bhopal.
  4. The persons who belong to Delhi and Pune are facing to the same direction (inside or outside).
  5. Rio is sitting between the person who belongs to Kolkata and the one from Agra respectively.
  6. Tej belongs to Pune and Rup belongs to Patna.
  7. The person who belongs to Chennai is facing outward and immediate neighbor of Agra.
  8. Pintu is immediate neighbor of the persons who belong to Pune and Chennai.
  9. Rio is immediate left of Gaur.

Questions

Question 1. Who sits fourth from right of Vicky?

  1. Anik
  2. Gaur
  3. Tej
  4. Sam
  5. Pintu

Question 2. Which is the city of the friend on the immediate left of Pintu?

  1. Bhopal
  2. Kolkata
  3. Pune
  4. Kota
  5. Delhi

Question 3. Which among the following is the odd man out?

  1. Tej-Bhopal
  2. Pintu-Patna
  3. Sam-Kota
  4. Rio-Agra
  5. Gaur-Delhi

Question 4. Which is the city of the friend who sits sixth on the left of Rup?

  1. Patna
  2. Kolkata
  3. Kota
  4. Delhi
  5. None of the above

Question 5. Who are the neighbors of Sam?

  1. Tej-Vicky
  2. Vicky-Pintu
  3. Sam-Anik
  4. Rup-Tej
  5. Pintu-Anik.

Note: Try to solve the problem yourself before going through the solution.

Solution to the SBI PO type high level Circular seating reasoning puzzle with two directional facing: Problem analysis and representation

Though the number of to-be-assigned object sets is only 2, the friends, and the cities, because of friends facing in or out, the left or right positional determination is a bit complex.

We will use an eight position logic table with column labels from 1 to 8 representing the eight positions counted anti-clockwise. The adjacency of end positions 1 and 8 transforms the linear positions to a circular form. The following shows an eight position circular seating round table.

eight-position-round-table-seating

"Facing opposite" attribute is possible only when the pair of friends are facing towards the center (facing in). To aid the determination of opposite positions, the opposite positions assuming facing in direction are predetermined and noted under brackets with each position. This will be applicable only for friends facing towards the center.

We will thus use the following compact logic table with implicit assumptions that positions 1 and 8 are adjacent and increasing position numbers indicates towards right and decreasing position numbers towards left for friends facing in. The left-right directions are just the opposite for friends facing out.

To aid analysis, we have added a third row to note the facing in or out characteristic.

sbi po circular seating reasoning puzzle 4 solved logic table

Solution Stage 1: Special characteristic of first assignment in a round table seating puzzle

Usually for other varieties of assignment type reasoning puzzles, at the very beginning we look for a statement that has maximum number of certain assignments to a specific position.

in a round table, all positions are relative to each other and at the beginning we can assign any secondary member to any position and carry on placing other members with respect to this starting reference point.

This is why at the start, instead of looking for a statement that makes maximum number of certain assignments to a specific primary object, it is better to start with creating horizontally bonded member structures with maximum number of members and information, especially facing direction of the single primary member of the bonded structure to which all the other values are related.

Once we are able to create such a long bonded structure we can place it in any way onto the empty logic table simulating the round table. This freedom exists only at the starting time. All further assignments are made normally just as in other assignment problems, because the positions by now have been fixed by the first assignment.

Solution Stage 1: Strategy 1: Formation of bonded member structure using link search technique

Thus we start the solution process with the strategy of forming bonded structure between members with as many members horizontally bonded as possible.

While forming the horizontally bonded member structure we use invariably the reference mechanism of link search technique that links two members by a commonly referred element.

We choose first Statement 5. "Rio is sitting between the person who belongs to Kolkata and the one from Agra respectively.", because it creates the longest three member bond in one statement by placing Rio between Kolkata and Agra. At this point though we are not sure about which side (left or right with respect to the logic table positions) of Rio has Agra, or Kolkata.

Looking for reference of Kolkata or Agra, we find it next in Statement 2. "Gaur belongs to Kolkata and faces the person who belongs to Kota." which enriches the bonded structure by attaching Gaur with Kolkata and in the process opens up the possibility of linking through new value of Gaur.

We get such a Statement 9. "Rio is immediate left of Gaur." that fixes the position of Rio as to the left of Gaur who faces in towards the center. This is because of the mention that Gaur faces the person who belongs to Kota.

Facing a opposite person is possible only if Gaur is facing the center of the table.

This is the facing direction breakthrough and we place primary member of the bonded structure Gaur in position 8 for convenience. We can do this because in a round table all positions are equivalent at the start. In other words positions are relative to each other. Person from Kota also sits facing in as he sits opposite to Gaur.

Observe that we have applied the strategy of forming bonded member structure using link search technique as well as the special characteristics in a round table seating.

The logic table after this stage is as below,

sbi po circular seating reasoning puzzle 4 solved stage 1

Solution Stage 2: Strategy 2: By link reference create a logic table level second Possibility structure

With a fairly large number of assigned values now we look for reference to the values and select statement 7 referring to Agra,

Statement 7. "The person who belongs to Chennai is facing outward and immediate neighbor of Agra."

Chennai person is an immediate neigbor of Agra person but we don't know on which sides they sit. So we continue looking for further reference now on Chennai and select,

Statement 8. "Pintu is immediate neighbor of the persons who belong to Pune and Chennai."

And next on reference to Pune,

Statement 6. "Tej belongs to Pune and Rup belongs to Patna.

Though we are unable to ascertain position of Chennai between 5 and 7, with this statement we decide to create two logic table level possibilities, the second one below the main logic table.

By itself, all placements in both the versions are certain, but together they represent the uncertainty. If a single contradiction occurs while placing a member later in any of the two logic table versions, the version will become invalid and the other version with all its assignments become certain.

By this mechanism you reduce the complex logic analysis load and possible confusion greatly.

In main logic table version we place Chennai at position 5 and in second version at position 7. This difference starts furher differences between the two, but certain placements in each version by itself are easy and straightforward.

Let us show you the result table and then explain.

sbi po circular seating reasoning puzzle 4 solved stage 2

Placements in second version are straightforward. In main logic table version, Rio could have got Pune but Statement 6 assigns Pune to Tej and so Pune goes to position 3 along with Tej. We keep Rup in Patna information on hold by writing it below the logic tables temporariliy.

Solution Stage 3: Logic table version elimination by conflict and rest of the assignments by elementary logic analysis

Out of the three statements left both,

Statement 1. "Anik faces the Centre and sits third to the right of Rup."

and,

Statement 3. "Sam sits third to the right of  Vicky, who stays in Bhopal."

represent two members separated by two positions effectively trying to create two numbers of four position bonded structures. 

It is easy to see from the second possibility structure below the main logic table, that it would be impossible to acommodate these two pairs on the second logic table version. There are not enough number of free positions. So the second version becomes invalid and the main logic table assignments valid and certain.

In main logic table version we place Rup-Patna facing out at position 1, Anik facing in at position 6 keeping position 5 for Sam and position 2 for Vicky free.

In second logic table version below, we could place at most Rup-Patna facing in at position 1 and Anik facing in at position 4. There would be no place for Sam and Vicky.

Let's first show the third stage logic table and then explain the rest of the assignments.

sbi po circular seating reasoning puzzle 4 solved stage 3

With Rup facing out, Anik facing in and Vicky facing in, the quota of four numbers of facing in is exhausted so that the rest two, Rio and Tej get facing out. Last city Delhi goes to Rio by exclusion.

Observe that the last statement need not be used,

Statement 4. "The persons who belong to Delhi and Pune are facing to the same direction (inside or outside)."

By the method that we followed then, this superfluous statement is used for verification purposes only and the superfluity shows that the method we followed is especially efficient with less number of steps.

Now we are ready to answer the questions and it should take only about a minute's time to answer the five questions.

Answers to the questions

Question 1. Who sits fourth from right of Vicky?

Answer 1. Option 1: Anik.

Question 2. Which is the city of the friend on the immediate left of Pintu?

Answer 2. Option 3: Pune.

Question 3. Which among the following is the odd man out?

Answer 3. Option 2: Pintu-Patna. The other four are immediate neighbors.

Question 4. Which is the city of the friend who sits sixth on the left of Rup?

Answer 4. Option 4: Delhi.

Question 5. Who are the neighbors of Sam?

Answer 5. Option 5: Pintu-Anik.

Recommendation

You need to carefully go through these sessions for absorbing the concepts well, and more importantly you must solve a number of such problems of various types for solving such a problem or its variation in the actual test confidently.

Comment

This problem though small, is not an easy one. You have to be careful and follow a stable method to avoid confusion. Creation of an extra logic table level possibility structure helps to avoid confusion by quick assignments in both the configurations with final elimination of one configuration. This elimination is assured and so you don't have to worry about it at all.

End note

Solving reasoning puzzles does not need knowledge on any subject—it is just identifying useful patterns by analysis of the problem and using appropriate methods. It improves problem solving skill, because patterns and methods lie at the heart of any problem solving.


Other resources for learning how to discover useful patterns and solve logic analysis problems

Einstein's puzzle or Einstein's riddle

The puzzle popularly known as Einstein's puzzle or Einstein's riddle is a six object set assignment logic analysis problem. Going through the problem and its efficient solution using collapsed column logic analysis technique in the session Method based solution of Einstein's logic analysis puzzle whose fish should be a good learning experience.

Playing Sudoku

As a powerful method of enhancing useful pattern identification and logic analysis skill, play Sudoku in a controlled manner. But beware, this great learning game, popularly called Rubik's Cube of 21st Century, is addictive.

To learn how to play Sudoku, you may refer to our Sudoku pages starting from the very beginning and proceeding to hard level games.


Reading list on SBI PO and Other Bank PO level Reasoning puzzles

Tutorials

How to solve SBI PO level logic puzzles in a few simple steps 1

How to solve SBI PO level logic puzzles in a few simple steps 2

How to solve SBI PO level family relation problems in a few simple steps 3

How to solve SBI PO level floor stay Reasoning Puzzle in a few confident steps 4

How to solve high level circular seating reasoning puzzles for SBI PO in confident steps 5

How to solve high level hard two row seating reasoning puzzles for SBI PO in confident steps 6

How to solve high level circular seating arrangement reasoning puzzles for SBI PO quickly 7

How to solve high level nine position circular seating reasoning puzzles for SBI PO quickly 8

How to solve high level box positioning reasoning puzzle for SBI PO quickly 9

Solved reasoning puzzles SBI PO type

SBI PO type high level floor stay reasoning puzzle solved in a few confident steps 1

SBI PO type high level reasoning puzzle solved in a few confident steps 2

SBI PO type high level reasoning puzzle solved in a few confident steps 3

SBI PO type high level circular seating reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 4

SBI PO type high level hard reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 5

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SBI PO type high level hard two in one circular seating reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 7

SBI PO type hard facing away circular seating reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 8

SBI PO type high level four dimensional reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 9

SBI PO type hard two row seating reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 10

SBI PO type high level floor stay reasoning puzzle solved in confident steps 11

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