Evaluate if the information in the statements is adequate to answer the question posed
Question:
Who is sitting exactly in the middle of a row of 7 people (P, Q, R, S, T, U, V)?
Statement:
I. P is at one end of the row. Q is second from the other end.
II. R is exactly between S and T. U is to the immediate left of V.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
We need to determine who sits at position 4 (the exact middle) in a row of 7 people (positions 1 to 7 from left to right).
• From Statement I: P is at one end and Q is second from the other end.
Positions can be: P _ _ _ _ Q _ or _ Q _ _ _ _ P.
This alone does not tell us who is at position 4. Hence, Statement I alone is insufficient.
• From Statement II: R is exactly between S and T, and U is immediately to the left of V (UV pair).
No definite positions in the row are given. Hence, Statement II alone is insufficient.
• Combining Statements I and II:
Suppose P is at position 1 and Q is at position 6 (1: P, 6: Q):
Available positions: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.
- Possibility 1: UV occupies positions 2 and 3. Then, S, R, T can occupy 4, 5, 7 (R at 5, so either S or T is at 4).
- Possibility 2: UV occupies positions 4 and 5. Then, S, R, T can occupy 2, 3, 7 (R at 3), which places U at position 4.
Since multiple people can occupy the middle position, the answer cannot be uniquely determined.
Therefore, Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 together are not sufficient.