CAT 2025 Slot 1 DILR Set 3 Q11–Q14

A DILR caselet from the Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) section of CAT 2025 Slot 1, with 4 questions (Arrangements). Answers are CAT's official key.

The set

A round table has seven chairs around it. The chairs are numbered 1 through 7 in a clockwise direction. Four friends, Aslam, Bashir, Chhavi, and Davies, sit on four of the chairs. In the starting position, Aslam and Chhavi are sitting next to each other, while for Bashir as well as Davies, there are empty chairs on either side of the chairs that are sitting on.

The friends take turns moving either clockwise or counterclockwise from their chair. The friend who has to move in a turn occupies the first empty chair in whichever direction (s)he chooses to move. Aslam moves first (Turn 1), followed by Bashir, Chhavi, and Davies (Turns 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Then Aslam moves again followed by Bashir, and Chhavi (Turns 5, 6, and 7, respectively).

The following information is known.

1. The four friends occupy adjacent chairs only at the end of Turn 2 and Turn 6.
2. Davies occupies Chair 2 after Turn 1 and Chair 4 after Turn 5, and Chhavi occupies Chair 7 after Turn 2.

Question 11

What is the number of the chair initially occupied by Bashir?

TITA: type in the answer. There are no options and no negative marking.

Answer: 4 Arrangements TITA

Solution

  1. Davies is at 2 after Turn 1 (he hasn't moved), so he started at 2. Chhavi is at 7 after Turn 2, so she started at 7. Aslam, next to Chhavi, must be at 6 (chair 1 must be empty beside Davies). Bashir needs empty chairs on both sides, which forces chair 4.
  2. Turn 1: Aslam goes to 1 or 5. For all four to be adjacent after Turn 2, Aslam must go to 1 and Bashir to 3 (chairs 7, 1, 2, 3).
  3. Davies reaches 4 on Turn 4, so chair 4 is free after Turn 3: Chhavi moves counterclockwise to 6, and Davies moves clockwise past 3 to 4. Seats: A1, B3, D4, C6.
  4. Turn 5: Aslam goes to 2 or 7. Only Aslam to 7 then Bashir clockwise to 5 makes the four adjacent after Turn 6 (chairs 4, 5, 6, 7). Turn 7: Chhavi leaves 6 for chair 1 or chair 3.
  5. Bashir started at chair 4.

Question 12

Who sits on the chair numbered 4 at the end of Turn 3?
  1. A
    Bashir
  2. B
    Chhavi
  3. C
    Davies
  4. D
    No one

Answer: (D) No one Arrangements MCQ

Solution

  1. Davies is at 2 after Turn 1 (he hasn't moved), so he started at 2. Chhavi is at 7 after Turn 2, so she started at 7. Aslam, next to Chhavi, must be at 6 (chair 1 must be empty beside Davies). Bashir needs empty chairs on both sides, which forces chair 4.
  2. Turn 1: Aslam goes to 1 or 5. For all four to be adjacent after Turn 2, Aslam must go to 1 and Bashir to 3 (chairs 7, 1, 2, 3).
  3. Davies reaches 4 on Turn 4, so chair 4 is free after Turn 3: Chhavi moves counterclockwise to 6, and Davies moves clockwise past 3 to 4. Seats: A1, B3, D4, C6.
  4. Turn 5: Aslam goes to 2 or 7. Only Aslam to 7 then Bashir clockwise to 5 makes the four adjacent after Turn 6 (chairs 4, 5, 6, 7). Turn 7: Chhavi leaves 6 for chair 1 or chair 3.
  5. After Turn 3: A1, D2, B3, C6, so chair 4 is empty.

Question 13

Which of the chairs are occupied at the end of Turn 6?
  1. A
    Chairs numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4
  2. B
    Chairs numbered 2, 3, 4, and 5
  3. C
    Chairs numbered 1, 2, 6, and 7
  4. D
    Chairs numbered 4, 5, 6, and 7

Answer: (D) Chairs numbered 4, 5, 6, and 7 Arrangements MCQ

Solution

  1. Davies is at 2 after Turn 1 (he hasn't moved), so he started at 2. Chhavi is at 7 after Turn 2, so she started at 7. Aslam, next to Chhavi, must be at 6 (chair 1 must be empty beside Davies). Bashir needs empty chairs on both sides, which forces chair 4.
  2. Turn 1: Aslam goes to 1 or 5. For all four to be adjacent after Turn 2, Aslam must go to 1 and Bashir to 3 (chairs 7, 1, 2, 3).
  3. Davies reaches 4 on Turn 4, so chair 4 is free after Turn 3: Chhavi moves counterclockwise to 6, and Davies moves clockwise past 3 to 4. Seats: A1, B3, D4, C6.
  4. Turn 5: Aslam goes to 2 or 7. Only Aslam to 7 then Bashir clockwise to 5 makes the four adjacent after Turn 6 (chairs 4, 5, 6, 7). Turn 7: Chhavi leaves 6 for chair 1 or chair 3.
  5. After Turn 6: D4, B5, C6, A7, i.e. chairs 4, 5, 6, 7.

Question 14

Which of the following BEST describes the friends sitting on chairs adjacent to the one occupied by Bashir at the end of Turn 7?
  1. A
    Aslam and Chhavi
  2. B
    Chhavi only
  3. C
    Davies only
  4. D
    Chhavi and Davies

Answer: (C) Davies only Arrangements MCQ

Solution

  1. Davies is at 2 after Turn 1 (he hasn't moved), so he started at 2. Chhavi is at 7 after Turn 2, so she started at 7. Aslam, next to Chhavi, must be at 6 (chair 1 must be empty beside Davies). Bashir needs empty chairs on both sides, which forces chair 4.
  2. Turn 1: Aslam goes to 1 or 5. For all four to be adjacent after Turn 2, Aslam must go to 1 and Bashir to 3 (chairs 7, 1, 2, 3).
  3. Davies reaches 4 on Turn 4, so chair 4 is free after Turn 3: Chhavi moves counterclockwise to 6, and Davies moves clockwise past 3 to 4. Seats: A1, B3, D4, C6.
  4. Turn 5: Aslam goes to 2 or 7. Only Aslam to 7 then Bashir clockwise to 5 makes the four adjacent after Turn 6 (chairs 4, 5, 6, 7). Turn 7: Chhavi leaves 6 for chair 1 or chair 3.
  5. After Turn 7, Bashir is at 5. Chair 4 has Davies, and chair 6 is now empty whichever way Chhavi moved. So Davies only.

Same concept in other years

See every question on Circular seating with players moving or passing around the circle.

More Arrangements questions from CAT

All 40 Arrangements questions asked since 2017.