Order & Ranking in Reasoning: Key Concept, Tricks, Questions & Answer

Order & Ranking in Reasoning: In the reasoning ability section Order And Ranking topic is one of the most important and scoring topics and one of the most common topics of any competitive exams like SSC CGL, RRB NTPC, RRB JE, GROUP D, Banking sector and other state-level exams. Order And Ranking questions asked about the rank of the person from both end of row or line, right and left, top and bottom are mentioned and questions are asked on this information. Some of the questions are based on the interchange of positions. In this article, we will discuss important concepts, tricks, tips, questions, and answers of Order And Ranking Questions with the help of solutions formulas and the latest pattern of questions.

What is Order & Ranking in Reasoning?

In Order and Ranking questions, rank, the position of the person from right, left, top, bottom, row, class is to be determined or rank/position is given & a total number of persons is to be calculated. You may also be asked to determine, using the data given, which floor which person lives on. There are usually 3-4 questions in any exam from this topic. By following some simple shortcut tricks, you can easily crack the questions in a matter of seconds. This can be helpful in boosting your reasoning ability and more importantly, your marks in the exam.

Types of Order & Ranking Questions

Candidates can check the types of order and ranking questions here.

Comparison Based: In this type of order and ranking, question candidates need to compare different quantities and find the correct answer.

Ranking Based: In this type of order and ranking question, candidates need to find the rank position of a person, like top, bottom, left, right position, etc.

Row Based: In this type of order and ranking question, row-based questions are given

Tips, Tricks & Concepts To Solve Order & Ranking Questions

Time is an important factor in qualifying through these competitive exams, and short tricks are the only way to go about getting through the Reasoning section. Candidates can check the tips, tricks & concepts to solve order and ranking questions here.

• If the total number of people is to be calculated and the position of different persons from any side is given then it is always a case of CND (can not determine) or the data is inadequate. This is because we do not know whether there is overlapping or not.
• When in a row, the positions of two persons are given and their positions are interchanged after interchanging the position of the 1st person is given from the same side as before interchanging.
• In the questions where it is asked to find the minimum number of persons in a row then it is always a case of overlapping given positions of persons from either side overlap each other.
• The difference in the positions of a person(same person) whose position from the same side before and after interchanging is given –  1.
• Position can be from either side of the row and rank is always from the top or bottom of the row.
• The total number of objects or persons in a group is always greater than the addition of the position of two objects or persons from ends.

Order & Ranking Questions, Answers & Explanation

Directions (1-3): Study the following information and answer the given questions:
There are six students-P, Q, R, S, T, and U in a class. Each one has different number of candies. S have less number of candies than only two students. P have more candies than R but less than U. R does not have least number of candies. S does not have odd number of candies. U has less candies than Q. The one who has third-lowest number of candies have 21 candies.
Q1. Who among the following have highest number of candies?
(a) Q
(b) U
(c) R
(d) S
(e) None of these
Q2. If U have 48 candies, then what is the possible number of candies S have?
(a) 45
(b) 19
(c) 38
(d) 25
(e) None of these
Q3. Who among the following have third lowest number of candies?
(a) U
(b) R
(c) S
(d) P
(e) None of these

Solution (1-3):

Q > U > S > P (21) > R > T

S1. Ans. (a)

S2. Ans. (c)

S3. Ans. (d)

Q4. Sameer is 20 th from the left end of a row and Arun is 12 th from the right end of row. If they interchanged their positions, then arun ranks become 10 from right end. Find total number of persons in the row?
(a) 30
(b) 39
(c) 28
(d) 31
(e) None of these

Solution:

S4. Ans. (e)

Sol. Total number of persons in the row= (20+10-1) = 29

Q5. Among J, K, L, M and N, each one of them is of different heights, K is taller than only one person. M is shorter than only L. M is taller than J and N (both). Who among them is the third tallest? 
(a) J
(b) K
(c) L
(d) N
(e) Either (a) or (d)

Solution:

5. Ans. (e)

L> M > J/N > K > J/N

Q6. Dinesh is 15 th from the left end of a row of 30 students and Monika is 20 th from the right end in the same row. How many students are there between them in the row?
(a) 3
(b) 2

(c) 1
(d) 5
(e) 4

Solution:

S6. Ans. (a)

Dinesh position from right end = (30+1-15) = 16

Students between them= (20-16-1) = 3

Q7. Among A, B, C, D and E , each of them is different weight. D’s weight is more than only three persons. B’s weight is more than E and less than C. A is not the lightest person. C is not lighter than D. A is heavier than B. Who among them is the third heaviest? 
(a) B
(b) D
(c) E
(d) A
(e) C

Solution:

S7. Ans. (d)

C > D > A > B > E

Q8. In a row of students, Ashish is 15 th from the right end and Neha is 10 th from the left end. If in this row Neha is 12 th from the right, then what is the position of Ashish from the left?
(a) 8th
(b) 7th
(c) 10th
(d) 12th
(e) None of the above

Solution:

S8. Ans. (b)

Clearly, Ashish is 15th from the right and

Neha is 12^th from the right end and 10th from the left end of the row

So, number of students in the row = (12 -1 + 10) = 21

Now, Ashish is 15th from the right

Number of boys to the left of Ashish= (21+1-15)

Hence, A is 7th from the left end of the row.

Q9. In a class of 40 students, Rohan rank is 21 from the bottom and Arun is 2 rank below Rohan, then what is the rank of Arun from the top?
(a) 21
(b) 22
(c) 25
(d) 24
(e) 20

Solution:

S9. Ans. (b)
Q10. There are 23 students in a class. Sumit ranks fourth among the boys in the class. Shivani ranks fifth among the girls in the class. Sumit is one rank below Shivani in the class. No two students hold the same rank in the class. What is Shivani’s rank in the class?
(a) Cannot be determined
(b) 5th
(c) 8th
(d) 7th
(e) None of these

Solution

S10. Ans. (c)

Sol. Shivani’s rank is 8th, as there are 3 boys and 4 girls before Shivani.

Q11. In a row of 55 students, Karan’s position is 39th from the left and Mayank’s position is 36th from right then how many students are there between them?
(a) 19
(b) 17
(c) 16
(d) 20
(e) 18

Solution:

S11. Ans. (e)

Sol. Karan’s position is 39th from the left

Mayank’s position from the left is (55-36+1= 20th) from the left

Hence, there are 18 students between them.

Q12. Rakhi is 22 nd from the left end of a row of 36 students and Preet is 24 th from the right end in the same row. How many students are there between them in the row?
(a) 9
(b) 7

(c) 8
(d) 5
(e) None of these

Solution:

S12. Ans. (c)

Sol. Preet position from Left end = (36+1-24) =13

Students between them= (22-13-1) =8

Q13. Doctor Rahul ranked 14th from the top and 19th from the bottom of the total doctors in the batch. How many doctors are there in the batch?
(a) 32
(b) 33
(c) 31
(d) 30
(e) None of these

Solution:

S13. Ans. (a)

Sol. Number of doctors in the class= 14+19-1=32

Q14. Five persons viz. A, B, C, D and E have different weights. A is heavier than at least two persons. D is heavier than B. Only C and E are lighter than B. Who among them is the second heaviest?
(a) A
(b) D
(c) B
(d) Cannot be determined
(e) None of these

Solution:

S14. Ans. (d)

Sol.  A/D > D/A > B > C/E > E/C

Q15. In a row of ticket distribution, Arpit stands 11 th from starting of the row and Monu is 7 th from the end of the row. If there are 5 people standing in between Arpit and Monu then find out how many tickets sold by the vendor (provided each person purchased only one ticket)?
(a) 21
(b) 24
(c) 22
(d) 23
(e) None of these

Solution:

S15. Ans. (d)

Latest Notifications 

FAQs: Order And Ranking In Reasoning

Q1. What is the Order and Ranking in the Reasoning Ability Section?

Ans. Order and Ranking questions, rank, the position of the person from right, left, top, bottom, row, class is to be determined or rank/position is given & a total number of persons is to be calculated.

Q2. In which exams Order and Ranking questions are asked?

Ans. Order And Ranking topic is one of the most important and scoring topics and one of the most common topics which is asked in many competitive exams like SSC CGL, RRB NTPC, RRB JE, GROUP D, Banking sector, and other state-level exams.

Q3. Is there any kind of short tricks to solve Order and Ranking questions?

Ans. Candidates can check the short tricks to solve the Order and Ranking questions in the given article.

Current Affairs