Direction: Study the information given below carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Eight persons M, O, P, Q, R, S, T and U live on eight different flats of a four-storey building but not necessary in the same order, where the bottom most floor is 1 and the floor above is numbered 2 and so on. There are 2 types of flats on each floor, flat A and flat B are such that flat A is towards the west of flat B. Flat A of floor 1 is immediately below of flat A of floor 2, which is immediately below of flat A of floor 3 and so on, similarly for flat B. The dimensions of each of the flats are same. If one person lives immediately above or below the other then they have the same flat.
There are two floors between the floors of U and R (both of them may or may not live in the same type of flat). U lives south-west of M. Q lives 2 floors above M (both live in the same type of flat). O lives immediately above S (both live in the same type of flat), who doesn’t live anywhere below M’s floor. P doesn’t live on a floor above M.
Who lives immediately above O?
This questions was previously asked in
IBPS Clerk (Prelims)
None of the above
Incorrect AnswerExplanation:
Let’s break this down step-by-step:
- There are 4 floors, each floor has two flats: A (west), B (east).
- If someone is immediately above/below, they have the same flat (A or B).
- U is “south-west” of M—basically, U is one floor below and one flat to the west of M. Since only A flats are west of B, U must be below and in A flat, M above in B flat.
- U and R have two floors between them. That’s a three-floor gap, up or down, doesn't matter.
- Q lives two floors above M; both are in the same flat (A or B).
- O is right above S; same flat type. S is not below M, so S must be on M’s floor or above.
- P isn’t above M.
- The question: Who lives immediately above O?
Here’s how it shakes out:
- If U is in 1A, M is in 2B ("south-west" means flat A below, flat B above).
- Q is two floors above M, so Q is on 4B.
- O and S are on adjacent floors in the same flat. S isn’t below M, so S can’t be on 1st floor. If S is on 2A, O is on 3A.
- P isn’t above M, so P must be on 1st or 2nd floor.
- R is two floors away from U. If U is on 1A, R is either 3A or 3B, but 3A makes sense because everyone needs placement.
So:
- 1A: U
- 2A: S
- 3A: O
- 4A: R
- 2B: M
- 4B: Q
The rest get filled appropriately.
Now, O is on 3A. Who’s immediately above? That’s 4A: R.
So the answer:
- Option 3: R
Quick summary of each option:
1. M – Not above O.
2. Q – In flat B, no go.
3. R – Yes, directly above O.
4. L – L doesn’t exist.
5. None – Not needed.
Hope that clears it all up!
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By: Parvesh Mehta