Five people A, B, C, D and E are seated about a round table. Every chair is spaced equidistant from adjacent chairs.
(i) C is seated next to A
(ii) A is seated two seats from D
(iii) B is not seated next to A
On the basis of above information, which of the following must be true?
- 1.D is seated next to B
- 2.E is seated next to A
- 3.D and C are separated by two seats
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only
A's two neighbours can only be C and E, because D is two seats away and B is not next to A. B and D then fill the two adjacent seats away from A, so D is always beside B. D may sit beside C or beside E, so statement 3 is not certain.
- With 5 seats in a circle, each person has exactly two neighbours.
- A's neighbours: C (i); not D, who is two seats away (ii); not B (iii). So the other neighbour is E — statement 2 must be true.
- The two remaining seats are next to each other and each is two seats from A; B and D take them in either order.
- So D always sits next to B — statement 1 must be true.
- If D takes the seat beside C, D and C are adjacent; so statement 3 need not be true.
- ✓ 1. B and D fill the two adjacent seats not next to A.
- ✓ 2. A's only possible neighbours are C and E.
- ✗ 3. In one valid arrangement D sits right beside C, so this is not certain.
Remember · In small circular seatings, fix one person, settle the neighbours first, and treat 'must be true' as true in every valid arrangement.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·