Ranking & Order

Ranking and Order is a topic where a person's position in a row or queue is given from one or both ends and you have to find either the total number of people or the position of a person from the other end. It is one of the easiest and most scoring topics in SSC CGL Reasoning.

The One Formula You Need:

Total = Position from Left + Position from Right - 1

This single formula solves almost every question in this topic!

Types of Ranking & Order Questions:

1. Finding Total Number of People Position from both ends is given and you have to find the total.

Example: 

In a row, Amit is 8th from the left and 5th from the right. How many people are in the row?

Formula: Total = 8 + 5 - 1 = 12

Answer: 12 people

2. Finding Position from Other End Total number and position from one end is given. Find position from other end.

Example: 

In a class of 40 students, Priya is 15th from the left. What is her position from the right?

Formula: Position from Right = Total - Position from Left + 1 = 40 - 15 + 1 = 26

Answer: 26th from right

3. Finding Minimum Number of People Two people's positions are given from the same end and you have to find the minimum total.

Example: 

In a row, A is 5th from the left and B is 8th from the left. What is the minimum number of people in the row?

Logic: B is 8th from left so there are at least 8 people. Minimum = 8 people (A and B can be different people)

Answer: 8

4. Rank After Interchange Two people interchange their positions and new ranks are given.

Example: 

In a row of 50 people, A is 15th from left. A and B interchange positions. Now A is 20th from left. What was B's original position from left?

Logic: After interchange A is at 20th position from left. This was B's original position. So B was originally at 20th from left.

Answer: 20th from left

5. Two Rows Combined Questions about people standing in two separate rows.

Example:

A is 10th from top in a column of 30 people. B is 15th from bottom. How many people are between A and B?

A's position from top = 10 

B's position from top = 30 - 15 + 1 = 16 

People between A and B = 16 - 10 - 1 = 5

Answer: 5 people

Finding Number of People Between Two Persons:

If positions from same end are given: People between = Higher position - Lower position - 1

Example: 

A is 5th from left and B is 12th from left. 

People between = 12 - 5 - 1 = 6

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Mistake 1 - Forgetting to subtract 1 in the formula. 

Wrong: Total = 8 + 5 = 13 

Right: Total = 8 + 5 - 1 = 12

Mistake 2 - Confusing position from left with position from right. Always read the question carefully.

Mistake 3 - In minimum/maximum questions, not thinking about overlap. 

If A is 5th from left and B is 3rd from right in same row: 

Minimum people = They could be the same person if 5 + 3 - 1 = 7 or less than total.

How to Solve Ranking & Order Questions:

Step 1 - Read the question and identify what is given and what is asked. 

Step 2 - Draw a simple line and mark the positions. 

Step 3 - Apply the formula: Total = Left + Right - 1 

Step 4 - For position from other end: Position = Total - Given Position + 1 

Step 5 - Always double check by substituting back in the formula.

Important Tips:

• Memorize the formula Total = Left + Right - 1
• Always draw a line/row on paper for visual clarity
• In minimum/maximum questions think whether two positions can overlap
• This topic takes only 30 seconds per question with practice
• 2 to 3 questions come from this topic in SSC CGL every year