Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumSeating Arrangement

Seven researchers—Fiona, George, Harry, Iris, Jack, Kelly, and Liam—are sitting around a circular table for a meeting. Four of them face the center, while the remaining three face outward. They are seated according to the following conditions:

1. Harry faces outward. Jack sits second to the left of Harry.
2. Fiona sits exactly between Harry and George.
3. George sits adjacent to Iris and faces the center.
4. Iris sits second to the right of Jack.
5. Kelly is not an immediate neighbor of Harry and faces the same direction as George.
6. The immediate neighbors of Jack face opposite directions (i.e., one faces the center and the other faces outward).
7. Fiona faces the center.

Based on the given information, who sits third to the left of Kelly?

  1. A
    Fiona
  2. B
    George
  3. C
    Liam
  4. HarryAnswer

Answer

The correct person sitting third to the left of Kelly is Harry.
Based on the conditions, Kelly must sit in seat 5 facing the center, while Harry sits in seat 1 facing outward. Since Kelly is facing the center, her left direction moves clockwise. Moving three positions clockwise from seat 5 (to 6, then 7, then 1) lands exactly on Harry.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Set up a 7-seat circular arrangement (numbered 1 to 7 clockwise) and place Harry and Jack.
Harry is at seat 1 facing outward. Jack is at seat 6.
Since Harry faces outward, his 'left' direction is counter-clockwise. Second to the left of seat 1 (counter-clockwise) is seat 7, then seat 6.
2
Place Fiona and George based on relative positions.
Fiona is at seat 2 and George is at seat 3.
Fiona must be exactly between Harry (1) and George. This forces them to occupy consecutive seats (1, 2, 3), placing Fiona at 2 and George at 3. George is given as facing the center. Fiona is given as facing the center.
3
Place Iris and determine Jack's facing direction.
Iris is at seat 4, and Jack faces the center.
George (3) is adjacent to Iris. Since Fiona is already at 2, Iris must be at 4. Iris (4) is second to the right of Jack (6). For seat 4 to be on the right of seat 6 (a counter-clockwise move), Jack must face the center.
4
Place Kelly and Liam, and deduce the remaining directions.
Kelly is at seat 5 facing the center, and Liam is at seat 7 facing outward. Iris faces outward.
Kelly cannot be next to Harry (1), so Kelly cannot take seat 7. Kelly takes seat 5, leaving seat 7 for Liam. Kelly faces the same direction as George (center). Jack's neighbors are Kelly (5) and Liam (7). Since Kelly faces center, Liam must face outward. We now have 4 facing center (Fiona, George, Jack, Kelly), meaning the rest (Harry, Liam, Iris) must face outward.
5
Identify the person sitting third to the left of Kelly.
Harry.
Kelly is at seat 5 facing the center. Left of a center-facing person is clockwise. Tracing three spots clockwise from 5: seat 6 (1st), seat 7 (2nd), and seat 1 (3rd), which is occupied by Harry.

Key Concept

Solving complex circular seating arrangements with mixed facing directions (inward and outward) by tracking relative left-right orientations.
Rate this question

Topics

Seating Arrangement

More questions from this topic