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Difficulty: MediumAnalytical Puzzles and Grouping

Five executives—A, B, C, D, and E—are sitting in a straight row of five chairs facing South. The chairs are numbered 1 to 5 from left to right (from the perspective of an observer standing in front of them). Each executive heads a different department: Finance, HR, IT, Marketing, and Operations. Consider the following conditions:

1. The HR executive sits in chair number 3.
2. A sits to the immediate right of the IT executive.
3. E sits in one of the extreme end chairs and heads the Finance department.
4. B sits adjacent to both the HR executive and the Operations executive.
5. C does not head the IT department and does not sit in an extreme end chair.
6. A does not head the Operations department.

Based on the above information, which of the following statements is definitely true?

  1. C sits in chair number 2 and heads the Marketing department.Answer
  2. B
    C sits in chair number 4 and heads the Marketing department.
  3. C
    A sits in chair number 1 and heads the Operations department.
  4. D
    C sits in chair number 5 and heads the Operations department.

Answer

The statement claiming C sits in chair number 2 and heads the Marketing department is definitely true.
Based on the rules, the executives face South. Their right is toward chair 1. B must be in chair 4 (IT) to satisfy all adjacency and directional constraints without violating negative conditions. This forces E (Finance) to chair 1, A (HR) to chair 3, and D (Operations) to chair 5. C is placed in chair 2 and assigned the remaining department, Marketing. Thus, the statement identifying C in chair 2 as the Marketing executive is correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine directional mapping based on facing South.
Chair numbering is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Because they face South, an executive's 'right' points toward chair 1, and 'left' points toward chair 5.
Crucial for accurately placing A to the immediate right of the IT executive.
2
Place HR, B, and Operations based on adjacency rules.
HR is in 3. Since B is adjacent to HR and Operations, B must be in either 2 or 4. If B=2, Operations=1. If B=4, Operations=5.
Applying Conditions 1 and 4 limits the possible locations for B and the Operations executive.
3
Evaluate the first scenario where B is in chair 2.
If B=2, Operations=1. Condition 3 forces E (Finance) to chair 5. Condition 2 requires A to be to the right of IT (meaning IT is in chair P, A is in P-1). The only options for IT are 4 or 2. If IT=4, A=3 (HR), meaning chair 4 is IT. Condition 5 says C is not IT and not extreme, so C would have to be 2, but B is already there. If IT=2, A=1, meaning A is Operations, which violates Condition 6. Therefore, B cannot be in chair 2.
Systematically testing the scenario reveals logical contradictions with the given rules.
4
Evaluate the second scenario where B is in chair 4.
If B=4, Operations=5. Condition 3 forces E (Finance) to chair 1. For A to be immediately right of IT, IT must be 4 and A must be 3. This means B is IT and A is HR. The arrangement is: 1=E(Finance), 2=?, 3=A(HR), 4=B(IT), 5=?(Operations).
This is the only remaining valid framework for the seating arrangement.
5
Place the remaining executives and departments.
C and D are left for chairs 2 and 5. Condition 5 states C is not at an extreme end, so C must be in chair 2. D goes to chair 5 (Operations). The only remaining department for C is Marketing. Final sequence: 1:E(Finance), 2:C(Marketing), 3:A(HR), 4:B(IT), 5:D(Operations).
Filling the final gaps using the remaining exclusion constraints.

Key Concept

Linear Seating Arrangement with Multiple Attributes and Directional Constraints
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Analytical Puzzles and Grouping

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