Concept of Ranking Test:
It involves an arrangement of position or ranks of an object or a person either from left to right or else from top to bottom.
Rule 1:
The total number of a person/objects in a group or class is equal to one less than the sum of the positions of the same person from both the ends (either right and left or top and bottom). Since the same person is counted twice in the sum, the final answer is one less than the total sum.
Total number of objects/persons = [ (sum of positions of the same person/object from both sides) – 1 ]
For Example:
In a row of persons, the position of Pavan from the left side of the row is 27th and position of Pavan from the right side of the row is 34th. Find the total number of students in the row?
a) 60 b) 61 c) 62 d) 59
Solution:
Total number of students = (Position of Pavan from left + Position of Pavan from right) – 1
Total number of students = (27 + 34) – 1 = 61 – 1 = 60.
Rule 2:
The total number of persons / objects in a group is the sum of before or after the given person in a row and the position of the same person from the other side.
Total no. of persons/objects = No. of persons / objects before or after the given person in a row + Position of the same person from the other side.
Example 2:
In a row of persons, the position of Aparna Nair from the left side of the row is 27th and there are 5 persons after her in the row. Find the total no. of persons in the row?
Solution:
No. of persons in the row = Position of Aparna from left + No. of persons after Aparna
⇒ Total no. of persons = 27 + 5 = 32
Rule 3:
If the positions of two objects/persons are given from the opposite ends and also the total number of persons/objects, then the problem can be addressed in two different ways to determine the number of persons between these two persons/objects.
Case 1:
Overlapping:
The total number of objects or persons in a group is always lesser than the addition of the position of two objects or persons from ends.
The number of objects between two different persons = Total number of books – (Sum of positions of two different persons from opposite sides)
Example 3:
There are 24 students in dance class, and the teacher is planning for an arrangement of students on stage. Jhansi is 9th from the left side of the row and Laxmi is 22nd from the right side of the row. Find the number of dancers standing between the sisters Jhansi and Laxmi?
a) 4 b) 5 c) 6 d) 7
Solution:
Adding the position of Jhansi and Laxmi we get:
= 9 + 22 = 31
The result ‘31’ is greater than the total number of students in a dance class.
Therefore, the number of dancers standing between the sisters will be = [(Position of Jhansi from left + Position of Laxmi from right) – Total number of dancers – 2]
The number of dancers between Jhansi and Laxmi = (9 + 22) – 24 – 2 = 31 – 24 – 2 = 5.
Case 2:
Non – overlapping:
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.
Example 4:
There are 64 history books arranged in a row at central library Bangalore. Ancient history is 25th from the left side of the row and Middivel history is 30th from the right side of the row. What is the total number of books between Ancient and Middivel history?
a) 6 b) 7 c) 8 d) 9
Solution:
Adding the position of ancient and midlevel history books, we get:
Ancient history + Middivel history = 25 + 30 = 55
Hence the number ‘55’ should be less than the total number of books.
∴ The number of books between ancient and midlevel history = Total number of books – (Place value of Ancient history book from left + Place value of Middivel history from right)
The number of books between ancient and midlevel history = 64 – (25 + 30) = 64 – 55 = 9
Rule 4:
Non-predictable order/ranking.
If the data in the question provides only then information of position different objects or persons, then it is impossible to find the total number of objects or people in a group or class. As the cases can either be an overlapping or non-overlapping one. In such a situation, the final answer will always be found. Save the time by not trying to solve these types of questions.
Example 5:
Deepavali or Diwali a festival lights in India. One can find the row of lamps in every house these days. Chaitra lights a row of the lamp in her home. A square-shaped lamp is at 18th from left, and a circular-shaped lamp is at 25th position in a row from right. Find the total number of lamp Chaitra had lit?
a) 27 b) 30 c) 43 d) Cannot be determined.
Solution:
The scenario can be either be of Overlapping or non-overlapping one. Hence the correct answer is Can’t be determined.
Rule 5:
Swapping of position to find the order/ ranking:
In this section, the placement or the position of the two objects/persons are interchanged. The position of the two people or objects is examined before and after the interchanged.
The place value or the position of the second person from the same side as before interchanging
= Position of 2nd person from the same side before interchanging + (Position of 1st person after interchanging – position of 1st person before interchanging from the same side)
Example 6:
Soldiers Smrita and Madhuri and are standing in a row of female soldiers. Smrita is 18th from the left side of the row, and Madhuri is 24th from the right side of the row. If they interchange their positions, Smrita becomes 31st from left. Find:
Solution:1
The new position of Madhuri from right side = Position of Madhuri from the right side before interchanging + (Position of Smrita from the left side after interchanging – Position of Smrita from the left side before interchanging)
New position of Madhuri from right side = 24 + (31 – 18) = 24 + 13 = 37
The new position of Madhuri is 37th.
Rule 6:
If positions of two objects from opposite sides of the row are known there is a third object right in the middle of the two, then the total number of objects can be evaluated based on the position of the third object.
Case 1:
The position of the third object is known from both the sides
Case 2:
The position of the third object is known from either of the sides.
Example 7:
There is a pride of lions and its cubs in a row, the position of eldest lioness from the left side of the row is 9th & position of youngest lioness from the right side of the row is 8th. If the new born cub is sitting just in the middle of eldest & youngest and position of cub from the left side of the row is 15th. Find the total number of lions the row?
Solution:
Position of a cub from left is 15th, and the eldest lioness from left is 9th so there are 15 – 9 – 1 = 5 lions are sitting between eldest and youngest lioness. As the cub is sitting in the middle of the eldest and youngest lioness so there must also be 5 persons sitting between the youngest lioness and a cub.
Thus, position of a cub from right = Position of youngest from right + 5 + 1 = 8 + 6 = 14
Total number of lions = (Sum of positions of cubs from both sides – 1) = (15 + 14) – 1 = 29 – 1 = 28
Rule 7:
To find the minimum number of members in the group.
The Minimum number of persons = Sum of positions of persons from both sides – Persons between them – 2.
Example 8:
If the position of A from the left side of a row is 15th and position of B from the right side of a row is 19th and only 1 person is sitting in the middle of A & B. Find the minimum number of persons that can be seated in this row?
Solution:
The total number of persons = 15 + 19 – 1 – 2 = 31.
Mohan ranks 8th from the left and 25th from the right in a class. How many students are there in the class?
A) 32 B) 33 C) 34 D) 31
SOLUTION:
The given data is
Mohan’s Rank from Left end = 8
Mohan’s Rank from Right end = 25
We know that
T = L + R – 1
Where T = Total number of persons
L = Position from Left / Front / Upside / Top / First
R = Position from Right / Back / Down / Bottom / Last
Therefore, Number of students in the class (T) = 8 + 25 – 1 = 32
ANSWER: A
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