The LIC AAO exam requires dedicated preparation for the important topics. Your total score in the Reasoning section will be a score booster in your prelims exam. Seating arrangement is a type of puzzle which is mostly asked in the LIC AAO Prelims as well as Mains exam. One seating arrangement puzzle contains 5 to 6 questions and 1 to 2 such puzzles are expected to be asked in the exam. Therefore, it becomes essential to prepare for this type of puzzle. In this blog, we are guiding you in learning basic concepts of Seating Arrangement with an example for each type of question.
Seating Arrangement Puzzle Basic Concepts
Seating Arrangement is a kind of puzzle asked in the LIC AAO exam. A statement containing some clues about the position of the person seated at different places in a circular, linear, or square, or rectangular arrangement is given. The basic concepts of seating arrangement involves understanding the given statements, clues, and assumptions, structuring the given information, and arriving at a conclusion.
For example: Clues to solve a puzzle will be given like “A is seated second to the right of B”. You should first note down such clues in the simplest possible way. Then start putting all characters in the possible position. After you have read and understood all the given clues, you will be able to answer the questions based on that.
What are the Different Types of Seating Arrangement Puzzles?
There are three major types of seating arrangement questions asked in the LIC AAO exam. These are Linear Seating Arrangement, Circular Seating Arrangement, and Polygonal Seating Arrangement. Let’s discuss each one of them with an example.
Circular Seating Arrangement
In a Circular Seating Arrangement, people sit around a circle. They usually face the centre (most common) or face outside. When persons face the centre, treat left as clockwise. (Top person’s left is the next clockwise seat.)
Example (solved)
Six persons A,B,C,D,E,F sit around a circle facing the centre.
- C is immediate left of A.
- B is second to the left of E.
- D is immediate right of B.
- F is not adjacent to A.
Solution (steps)
- Draw 6 positions around a circle and number clockwise 1→6.
- Put A at position 1 (anchor).
- C immediate left of A → since facing centre, left = clockwise → C at pos2.
- Let’s try E at pos4 → then B (second left of E) is at pos6 (two clockwise from pos4).
- D immediate right of B → right = anticlockwise → D at pos5.
- Remaining pos3 must be F. Check F not adjacent to A: A at pos1, adjacent seats are pos6 and pos2. F is pos3.
- Final clockwise positions: 1 A, 2 C, 3 F, 4 E, 5 D, 6 B.
pos1 (A) → pos2 (C) → pos3 (F) → pos4 (E) → pos5 (D) → pos6 (B) → back to A
Linear Seating Arrangement
In a linear seating arrangement, people sit in a straight line (one after another). They may face north/south or opposite directions. If all face North, use the diagram left to right as it is. If some face South, left or right reverse for them.
Example (solved step-by-step)
Eight friends A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H sit in a row facing north.
- F sits at an extreme end.
- B is third to the right of F.
- C is second to the left of B.
- D is the immediate right of C.
- G sits between A and H.
- E is immediately to the left of A.
Solution (steps)
- Number positions 1…8 from left to right (our diagram). Since they face north, left/right are the same as drawn left/right.
- “F at an extreme end” → try pos1 or pos8. If F at pos8, “B is third to the right of F” would be impossible. So F = pos1.
- B is 3rd right of F → B = pos4.
- C is 2nd left of B → C = pos2.
- D immediate right of C → D = pos3.
- Remaining positions (5–8): A, E, G, H. “E immediate left of A” so E must be immediately left of A. Place A at pos6 → E pos5 (pos5 free). Then “G between A and H” → pos7 = G and pos8 = H.
- Final order (left→right): F, C, D, B, E, A, G, H.
Answer check: Immediate left of D (pos3) is C (pos2).
Positions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
People : F C D B E A G H
Square/Rectangle Seating Arrangement
In Polygonal seating arrangement, people sit at corners and side-middles of a square/rectangle; directions (facing inside/outside) matter. To solve this type of question, draw a square and mark corner/side positions, label positions in order (clockwise). Always note whether corner vs side positions are specified.
Type of question asked
- 8 persons around a square (4 corners + 4 side-centers), all facing the centre.
- Clues of the type: “A at a corner; B sits between A and C; D is at the middle of the side opposite to A”, etc.
- Solve by placing corners first (fewer options), then side-centres.
Double Row Seating Arrangement
In a Double Row Seating Arrangement, Two parallel rows; people in one row face the other row (usually facing each other). To solve such a question, draw two horizontal rows; top row left to right and bottom row left→right. If top faces south and bottom faces north, then top’s left corresponds to our left, but their opposite faces each other — so the person opposite top[i] is bottom[i].
Example (solved)
Row1 (facing south): A B C D (left→right)
Row2 (facing north): P Q R S (left→right)
Clues:
- A sits opposite R.
- Q is immediate right of S.
- D sits opposite P.
Solution:
- Opposite means same column. A opposite R → they share a column.
- D opposite P → they share a column.
- Q immediate right of S (in Row2 left→right): so S is left of Q.
- Fit columns so no conflict; fill remaining accordingly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While solving Seating Arrangement
Below are some common mistakes that many candidates makes when they solve a seating arrangement puzzle question.
- Misreading “second to the left” (it means exactly two seats to the left: one person in between).
- Forgetting to flip left/right when facing outside vs facing centre.
- Assuming order between A and B without explicit clue.
- Filling optional placements too early as they can block correct placements later.
Avoiding these mistakes will ensure you don’t skip a clue in the given questions and you choose the correct option while answering the question based on the seating puzzle.
Conclusion
Seating Arrangement concepts are explained in detail in this blog. We hope that you have understood it and implement it in your next mock test. You can avail a number of practice sets for seating arrangement by purchasing our LIC AAO test series package at a very affordable price. Make your everyday count. Regularly solve at least 1 puzzle and improve your sped in solving puzzle.
Also read other related blogs:
| LIC AAO Syllabus and Exam Pattern | LIC AAO Previous Year Cut-offs |
| LIC AAO Eligibility Criteria | LIC AAO Salary |
| LIC AAO Study Plan | LIC AAO Previous Year Papers |
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Seating Arrangement Concepts FAQs
There is no short cut trick for seating arrangement, you have to carefully read all clues and place the elements in the right place to find the solution.
In a circular seating arrangement, a group of persons is either facing the centre of the circle or facing opposite to the direction of the circle.
In a seating arrangement, two persons away means there is one person sitting between both of them.
The formula for a round table arrangement is (n-1)! which is pronounced as (n minus one factorial). Where n is the number of person.
This means a person (suppose A) will move 2 positions to the right of B. Therefore, one person will sit between A and B.
The formula for arrangement is nPr = n! / (n – r)! where n is the number of persons and r is the number of persons being arranged at a time.
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