Seating Arrangement Cheat Sheet
31 Oct 2026
Quick answer
A quick revision cheat sheet on seating arrangement and puzzles for SSC, Banking, Railway and state exams. It covers the linear, circular and rectangular arrangements, the left-right rule for people facing the centre or outward, and a step-by-step method for fixing positions and eliminating the wrong options quickly.
Seating Arrangement Cheat Sheet
Quick Revision
Seating arrangement questions give you clues about where people sit and ask about their positions. The key is to draw the arrangement and place only what is certain, then fit the rest.
1. Types of Arrangement
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Linear (single row) | All in one row, usually facing the same way |
| Linear (double row) | Two rows facing each other |
| Circular | Around a table, facing the centre or outward |
| Rectangular / square | Along the sides of a table |
2. The Left–Right Rule (most important)
The direction a person faces decides their left and right:
- Facing the centre (circular) — a person's left is your right, and their right is your left. Clockwise is to their right-hand side only when facing outward.
- Facing outward — a person's left and right match your view.
- Linear, facing you (second row) — their left and right are the opposite of yours.
Always fix "left" and "right" from the seated person's point of view, not yours.
3. A Step-by-Step Method
- Read every clue once and note the fixed facts (exact positions).
- Draw the table or row and place the certain people first.
- Add the relative clues ("B sits second to the left of A").
- Keep the possibilities open where a clue allows more than one place.
- Use the remaining clues to eliminate until one arrangement stands.
4. Useful Points
- In a circle of n people facing the centre, a person is directly opposite the one
n/2seats away (when n is even). - "Immediate" left/right means the very next seat; "second to the left" skips one.
- In a double row, "opposite" pairs one person in each row.
5. Exam Quick Tips
- Draw the diagram — never solve seating in your head.
- Settle the facing direction before marking any left or right.
- Place certain clues first, then the relative ones.
- Keep two diagrams going when a clue leaves two cases, and eliminate later.
Keep revising with the rest of the Reasoning section:
How this was made: Drafted with AI assistance; spot-checked by the editor on 31 October 2026.