Five friends A, B, C, D and E sit in a row facing north. C is in the middle, A is at the right end, B sits immediately to the left of C, and E is not at either end. Who sits between A and C, and who is at the left end?
E sits between A and C, and D is at the left end. Numbering seats 1 to 5 from the left: C = 3, A = 5, B = 2, so D and E take 1 and 4, and since E is not at an end, E = 4 and D = 1. The order is D, B, C, E, A.
Explain it simply
Draw five blanks and fill in the fixed facts first: absolute positions like "middle" or "right end" before relative ones like "to the left of". Facing north means your left is the left of the page, which keeps things simple. Then use the remaining clues to place whoever is left.
Example
Question: A, B, C, D, E in a row facing north.
Seat: 1 2 3 4 5
D B C E A- C in the middle: seat 3.
- A at the right end: seat 5.
- B immediately left of C: seat 2.
- D and E fill seats 1 and 4. E is not at an end, so E = 4, D = 1.
- Between A and C: E. Left end: D.
Follow-up: who is second to the right of B? Seat 4, E.
If the row faced south instead, their left would be your right on the page, so draw the row and mark the facing direction before placing anyone.
What to say in the interview
"I fix absolute positions first: C in seat 3 and A in seat 5. B goes to seat 2, and since E can't be at an end, E is 4 and D is 1. The order is D, B, C, E, A, so E sits between A and C."
Common mistakes
- Mixing up left and right when the row faces south.
- Placing relative clues before the fixed ones and having to redo the diagram.