Logical Reasoning based on Arrangements

Arrangement questions are one of the most common question types in logical reasoning. As the name suggests, questions on arrangements typically involve arranging people or objects in straight lines or around circles/squares or other geometrical shapes.

The key skills involved in solving questions on arrangements include but are not limited to:

(i) the ability to visualise the geometrical shape of the arrangement situation.

(ii) the ability to order the clues in the correct order of usage (as explained in the theory of logical reasoning).

(iii) the ability to perceive what indirect clues are talking about - and how to use them.

(iv) the ability to convert clues written in language form into visual cues so that you do not need to read the text again and again. Also, converting the language clues to visual cues is critical for the purpose of being able to ‘see’ all the clues at one go.

Illustrated below are the solutions to a few typical questions on arrangements. We would advise you to first have a look at the question and try to solve the same on your own before looking at the step by step process of solving the same - illustrated through the revolutionary “Reaction Tracker” mechanism which is an integral part of this section of the book.

Note: The Reaction tracker is a blow by blow account of exactly what reaction should go on in your mind as you solve an individual question in reasoning.

Look at the following questions and try to solve them:

Example 1 Question at an easy level of difficulty

Directions: Study the information given below to answer these questions.

(i) Arnold’s fitness schedule consists of cycling, rowing, gymnasium, jogging and boxing from Monday to Saturday, each workout is on one day, one day being a rest day.

(ii) Gymnasium workout is done neither on the first nor on the last day but is done earlier than rowing.

(iii) Jogging is done on the immediate next day of the rowing day.

(iv) Cycling is done on the immediate previous day of the rest day.

(v) Jogging and boxing were done with a two-day gap between them.

(vi) Boxing was done on the following day the rest day.

1. Which of the following is a rest day?

(a) Wednesday (b) Tuesday

(c) Friday (d) Thursday

2. Cycling and jogging days have a gap of how many days between them?

(a) Nil (b) Two

(c) Three (d) Four

3. On which day is boxing done?

(a) Thursday (b) Friday

(c) Monday (d) Wednesday

4. Which of the following is a wrong statement?

(a) Gymnasiumworkout is done on the immediate previous day of rowing.

(b) Jogging is done three days after the day on which boxing was done.

(c) There is a gap of three days between the days on which cycling and rowing are done.

(d) There is a two days’ gap between the rest day and the day on which gymnasium workout is done.

5. Which of the following is the correct statement?

(a) Jogging competition is done after rowing.

(b) Cycling is done on Thursday.

(c) No workout is done on Wednesday.

(d) Rowing is done earlier than cycling.