IBPS PO Reasoning: Ordering and Ranking questions with solutions

Q1. Nine persons A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I are working in a company at different designations such as CEO, Manager, HR, Supervisor, Team Lead, Executive, Accountant, Clerk, and Peon, but not necessarily in the same order. The designations are in descending order, such that CEO is the senior-most and Peon is the junior-most designation. D is four designations senior to G. G is designated immediately senior to B, who is not Peon. Two persons are designated between A and E. E is senior to A. F is designated junior to A but not immediately junior. F is not designated as the junior-most person. I is designated senior to C and H. I is not designated as HR. H is designated junior to C. If all the persons are designated in alphabetical order from senior-most to junior-most designation, then the position of how many persons remains the same?

1. Two
2. Four
3. One
4. Three

Answer: Two

The clues fix a unique seniority order of the nine persons. When this order is compared with the alphabetical order from senior-most to junior-most designation, only two persons occupy the same position in both arrangements.

Q2. Passage: G B C F B > G > A > F > C > E Age: 24 yrs, 20 yrs Who is youngest?

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. E

Answer: E

The chain indicates a descending order of age, ending with E. Therefore, E is the youngest among the given persons.

Q3. Six persons are arranged in descending order of their weight from left to right. Only T is lighter than Q, whose weight is 17 kg. S is twice as heavy as Q and 14 kg lighter than N. Two persons are between M and S. R is not the second heaviest among all. How many persons are lighter than S?

1. Two
2. One
3. Four
4. Three

Answer: Two

Q weighs 17 kg, so S is twice as heavy as Q, i.e. 34 kg. Since only T is lighter than Q, T must be the lightest and Q the second lightest. With the remaining clues, S ends up with exactly two persons lighter than it.

Q4. Six persons are arranged in descending order of their weights from left to right. Only T is lighter than Q, whose weight is 17 kg. S is twice as heavy as Q and 14 kg lighter than N. There are two persons between M and S. R is not the second heaviest among all. What may be the possible weight of R?

1. 18kg
2. 39kg
3. 30kg
4. 22kg

Answer: 39kg

Q weighs 17 kg, so S = 34 kg and N = 48 kg. Since only T is lighter than Q, T must be the lightest, and the remaining weights must fit the descending order with M two positions away from S. Among the options, 39 kg fits without making R the second heaviest.