Types of Puzzles - How to Solve Puzzle Questions

TYPE 5: Selection Based on Given Conditions 

In such type of questions, a few essential criteria for selection of a group of items are given. The candidate has to keep these conditions in mind and make the required selection as per the directions are given in each question.

Ex.5. Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below it: 

From amongst six boys A, B, C, D, E and F and five girls P, Q, R, S and T, a team of six is to be selected under the following conditions:

(i) A and D have to be together.

(ii) C cannot go with S.

(iii) S and T have to be together.

(iv) B cannot be teamed with E.

(v) D cannot go with P

(vii) B and R have to be together.

(vii) C and Q have to be together.

Q.1. If there be five boys in the team, the lone girl member is

(A) P

(B) Q

(C) R

(D) S

Q.2. If including P, the team has three girls, the members are 

(A) B, C, F, Q, R

(B) A, D, E, S, T

(C) A, D, B, S, T

(D) B, F, R, S, T

Q.3. If  the team including C consist of four boys, the member of the team other than C are 

(A) A, D, E, P, Q

(B) A, B, D, Q, R

(C) D, E, F, A, Q

(D) B, E, F, R, Q

Q.4. If four members including E have to be boys, the members other than E are

(A) A, B, C, Q, R

(B) A, D, F, S, T

(C) B, C, F, Q, R

(D) A, C, D, F, Q

Q.5. If four members have to be girls, the members of the team are 

(A) B, C, P, Q, R, S

(B) B, F, P, R, S, T

(C) B, C, Q, R, S, T

(D) B, C, P, Q, R, T

Solution:

1. In a team of six, if five boys are to be selected, then both A and D together are selected. If C is selected, a girl Q will be selected.

From B and E, one has to be selected. So, we select E because B will be accompanied by a girl. The fifth boy will be F. So, the only girl will be Q in the team A, C, D, E, E, Q. Hence, the answer is (b).

2.If P is included, then D and hence A cannot be included. If Q is selected, C has to be selected and so S cannot be selected. T goes with S. So, T is also not selected. The third girl can be R. With R, B will be selected but with B, E cannot be selected. So, the sixth member can be F only i.e. the team becomes P, Q. C, R, B, F. Hence, the answer is (a).  

3. If team includes C, Q will be included. If another girl included is R, B will be there and hence E cannot be there. A and D have to be together. So, they are also included and only F can be excluded. Thus, the team is C, Q, R, B, A, D. Hence, the answer is (b)

4. If E is included, B cannot be included. A and D have to be together. So, they are both included. Without B, R will not be there. With D, P cannot be there. So, two girls together can be only S and T. If S is there, C cannot be there. So, the fourth boy can be F alone. only S and Thus the team becomes E, A, D, S, T, F. Hence, the answer is (b).

5. In four girls, S and T are taken together. With S, C cannot be there. So, Q will not be there. If P is included, D and hence A cannot be there. If R is included, B will be there and hence E cannot be there. So, only F can be there. Thus, the team is S, T, P, R, B, F. Hence the answer is (b).