Introduction to Floor Puzzle Reasoning for Bank Exams
Floor puzzle reasoning questions are a staple in the reasoning ability section of bank exams, such as IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Assistant, and other competitive banking tests. These puzzles test your ability to arrange individuals or objects across different floors of a building, often with complex conditions involving positions, adjacency, or specific constraints like odd/even floors. Mastering floor arrangement strategies can significantly enhance your performance in the reasoning section, which typically carries 35-40 marks. This article provides 15 original floor arrangement questions, mirroring the difficulty and format of bank exams, along with detailed explanations to illustrate key strategies. These strategies include identifying fixed positions, using relative conditions, handling negative constraints, and resolving ambiguities systematically. Practice these questions to develop a structured approach, improve your speed, and boost your confidence for bank exam success!
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Floor Puzzle Reasoning – SET 1
Directions (Q.1-5): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Five people—Anita, Bharat, Chitra, Dev, and Esha—live on different floors of a five-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 5 (top). Bharat lives on an even-numbered floor. Anita is not on the top floor. Chitra lives immediately above Dev. Only one person lives between Bharat and Esha.
1. Who lives on the top floor?
(A) Anita
(B) Bharat
(C) Chitra
(D) Dev
(E) Esha
2. How many people live between Anita and Chitra?
(A) None
(B) One
(C) Two
(D) Three
(E) Four
3. Who lives immediately below Bharat?
(A) Anita
(B) Chitra
(C) Dev
(D) Esha
(E) None of these
4. Which floor does Dev live on?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
5. If Bharat and Anita exchange floors, who is now on the second floor?
(A) Anita
(B) Bharat
(C) Chitra
(D) Dev
(E) Esha
Directions (Q.6-10): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Six people—Jaya, Kiran, Lalit, Meena, Neeraj, and Om—live on different floors of a six-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 6 (top). Meena lives on the fourth floor. Jaya is not adjacent to Kiran. Lalit lives below Neeraj. Only two people live between Kiran and Om.
6. Who lives on the ground floor?
(A) Jaya
(B) Kiran
(C) Lalit
(D) Meena
(E) Om
7. Who lives immediately above Meena?
(A) Jaya
(B) Kiran
(C) Lalit
(D) Neeraj
(E) Om
8. How many people live between Jaya and Neeraj?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) None
9. Which floor does Kiran live on?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 5
(E) 6
10. If Lalit and Om exchange floors, who is now on the top floor?
(A) Jaya
(B) Kiran
(C) Lalit
(D) Neeraj
(E) Om
Directions (Q.11-15): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Seven people—P, Q, R, S, T, U, and V—live on different floors of a seven-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 7 (top). Q lives on an odd-numbered floor. S is immediately below R. T is not on the ground floor. Only three people live between P and U. P lives above U.
11. Who lives on the top floor?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) R
(D) T
(E) V
12. How many people live between Q and S?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Four
(E) None
13. Who lives immediately below T?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) R
(D) S
(E) U
14. Which floor does U live on?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
15. If Q and V exchange floors, who is now immediately above S?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) R
(D) T
(E) V
ANSWERS
1. C 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. D 8. C 9. D 10. C 11. D 12. C 13. B 14. C 15. C
Explanations and Strategies:
Strategy 1: Identify Fixed Positions – Start with conditions that pin down specific floors (e.g., Meena on floor 4 in Q6-10). This anchors the arrangement and reduces possibilities.
Strategy 2: Use Relative Conditions – Conditions like “Chitra above Dev” or “S below R” create pairs (e.g., Chitra-Dev, R-S). Place these pairs in the arrangement while satisfying other constraints.
Strategy 3: Handle Negative Constraints – Conditions like “Anita not on top” or “Jaya not adjacent to Kiran” eliminate possibilities. List valid floors for each person (e.g., Anita: 1-4).
Strategy 4: Resolve Ambiguities Systematically – When multiple arrangements are possible (e.g., Bharat on 2 or 4 in Q1-5), test each case and check consistency with all conditions.
Strategy 5: Account for Exchanges – For exchange questions (e.g., Q5, Q10, Q15), reassign positions and re-evaluate the arrangement without altering other conditions.
Q1-5: Floors (1 to 5): Esha (1), Bharat (2), Dev (3), Chitra (4), Anita (5). Bharat on even floor (2 or 4). Chitra above Dev (Dev at 3, Chitra at 4). One person between Bharat and Esha (Bharat at 2, Esha at 1). Anita not on top (Anita at 5 invalid, so adjust: Chitra at 5, Dev at 4, Anita at 3). Final: Esha, Bharat, Anita, Dev, Chitra. Answers: 1. Chitra (C), 2. One (Anita) (B), 3. Esha (D), 4. Dev at 3 (C), 5. After Bharat-Anita exchange: Esha, Anita, Bharat, Dev, Chitra; Anita on 2 (A).
Q6-10: Floors (1 to 6): Lalit (1), Om (2), Jaya (3), Meena (4), Kiran (5), Neeraj (6). Meena on 4. Two between Kiran and Om (Kiran at 5, Om at 2). Jaya not adjacent to Kiran (Jaya at 3). Lalit below Neeraj (Lalit at 1, Neeraj at 6). Answers: 6. Lalit (C), 7. Neeraj (D), 8. Three (Om, Meena, Kiran) (C), 9. Kiran at 5 (D), 10. After Lalit-Om exchange: Om, Lalit, Jaya, Meena, Kiran, Neeraj; Lalit on 6 (C).
Q11-15: Floors (1 to 7): V (1), U (2), Q (3), S (4), R (5), P (6), T (7). Q on odd floor (1, 3, 5, 7). S below R (S at 4, R at 5). T not on 1 (T at 7). Three between P and U (P at 6, U at 2). P above U. Q at 3, V at 1 satisfy conditions. Answers: 11. T (D), 12. Three (U, S, R) (C), 13. Q (B), 14. U at 2 (C), 15. After Q-V exchange: Q, U, V, S, R, P, T; R above S (C).
Advanced Floor Based Puzzle – SET 2
Introduction to Advanced Floor Based Puzzle for Bank Exams
Advanced floor based puzzle questions are a critical component of the reasoning ability section in bank exams, particularly in the mains phase of IBPS PO, SBI PO, RBI Assistant, and other banking tests. These puzzles involve arranging individuals across multiple floors with intricate conditions, such as relative positions, multiple constraints, or additional variables like professions or objects. Mastering advanced floor based puzzle techniques is essential to tackle high-difficulty questions that can make or break your reasoning score, which typically contributes 35-50 marks. This article presents 15 original, complex floor arrangement questions, designed to mirror the challenging format of bank exam mains, along with detailed explanations highlighting advanced strategies. These techniques include leveraging multiple variables, resolving overlapping conditions, prioritizing critical clues, handling negative information, and optimizing trial-and-error. Practice these questions to sharpen your analytical skills and excel in your bank exam preparation!
Directions (Q.1-5): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Six people—Amar, Bina, Chetan, Disha, Eshan, and Farida—live on different floors of a six-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 6 (top), and each has a unique profession: Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Engineer, Artist, or Writer (not in order). Disha, the Engineer, lives on an odd-numbered floor. Amar is immediately above Bina. The Teacher lives on the top floor. Only two people live between Chetan and Farida, the Lawyer. Eshan is not the Artist. The Doctor lives below the Writer.
1. Who is the Teacher?
(A) Amar
(B) Bina
(C) Chetan
(D) Eshan
(E) Farida
2. Which floor does the Artist live on?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
3. Who lives immediately below Disha?
(A) Amar
(B) Bina
(C) Chetan
(D) Eshan
(E) Farida
4. What is Amar’s profession?
(A) Artist
(B) Doctor
(C) Lawyer
(D) Teacher
(E) Writer
5. If Chetan and Eshan exchange floors, who is now on the fourth floor?
(A) Amar
(B) Chetan
(C) Disha
(D) Eshan
(E) Farida
Directions (Q.6-10): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Seven people—Gaurav, Hina, Ishan, Jaya, Karan, Lata, and Meera—live on different floors of a seven-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 7 (top), each owning a different pet: Cat, Dog, Fish, Bird, Rabbit, Snake, or Turtle (not in order). Hina, who owns the Fish, lives on the third floor. Jaya is immediately above Meera. The Dog owner lives on an even-numbered floor. Only one person lives between Gaurav and Karan. The Turtle owner is not on the top floor. Ishan does not own the Bird.
6. Who owns the Turtle?
(A) Gaurav
(B) Hina
(C) Jaya
(D) Karan
(E) Meera
7. Which floor does the Bird owner live on?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 4
(D) 6
(E) 7
8. Who lives immediately above Karan?
(A) Gaurav
(B) Hina
(C) Ishan
(D) Jaya
(E) Lata
9. What is Meera’s pet?
(A) Cat
(B) Dog
(C) Rabbit
(D) Snake
(E) Turtle
10. If the Cat owner and Turtle owner exchange floors, who is now on the fifth floor?
(A) Gaurav
(B) Ishan
(C) Jaya
(D) Karan
(E) Lata
Directions (Q.11-15): Study the following information carefully and answer the questions given below.
Eight people—P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W—live on different floors of an eight-story building, numbered 1 (ground) to 8 (top), each with a different hobby: Painting, Singing, Dancing, Cooking, Reading, Gardening, Swimming, or Writing (not in order). Q lives on an even-numbered floor above floor 4. S is immediately below T. Only two people live between P and W. R, who has the Singing hobby, lives on the first floor. U does not have the Cooking hobby. The Gardening hobby is on an odd-numbered floor below floor 6.
11. Who has the Painting hobby?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) S
(D) T
(E) W
12. Which floor does the Reading hobby belong to?
(A) 2
(B) 4
(C) 6
(D) 7
(E) 8
13. Who lives immediately below Q?
(A) P
(B) S
(C) T
(D) U
(E) W
14. What is W’s hobby?
(A) Cooking
(B) Dancing
(C) Gardening
(D) Swimming
(E) Writing
15. If P and U exchange floors, who is now on the seventh floor?
(A) P
(B) Q
(C) S
(D) T
(E) U
ANSWERS
1. C 2. B 3. E 4. E 5. D 6. A 7. E 8. C 9. C 10. D 11. D 12. D 13. D 14. B 15. A
Explanations and Advanced Techniques:
Technique 1: Leverage Multiple Variables – Use both people and attributes (e.g., professions, pets, hobbies) to create a grid or table. For Q1-5, map floors to people and professions (e.g., Teacher on 6, Disha as Engineer on 1, 3, or 5).
Technique 2: Resolve Overlapping Conditions – Combine relative and absolute clues (e.g., in Q6-10, Hina on 3 with Fish, Jaya above Meera, and one between Gaurav-Karan). Test configurations to align all conditions.
Technique 3: Prioritize Critical Clues – Start with fixed or restrictive clues (e.g., R on floor 1 with Singing in Q11-15, or Q on even floors 6 or 8). These anchor the arrangement.
Technique 4: Handle Negative Information – Use exclusions (e.g., Eshan not Artist, U not Cooking) to narrow possibilities. In Q11-15, Gardening below 6 limits it to 1, 3, or 5.
Technique 5: Optimize Trial-and-Error – When ambiguities arise (e.g., Disha on 1 or 3 in Q1-5), test each case systematically, checking consistency with all clues.
Q1-5: Floors (1 to 6): Disha (Engineer, 1), Farida (Lawyer, 2), Amar (Writer, 3), Bina (Doctor, 4), Eshan (Artist, 5), Chetan (Teacher, 6). Teacher on 6 (Chetan). Disha on odd (1 or 3). Amar above Bina (Amar at 3, Bina at 4). Two between Chetan and Farida (Chetan at 6, Farida at 2). Eshan not Artist (Eshan at 5, Artist). Doctor below Writer (Bina at 4, Amar at 3). Answers: 1. Chetan (C), 2. Artist on 5 (B), 3. Farida (E), 4. Writer (E), 5. After Chetan-Eshan exchange: Disha, Farida, Amar, Eshan, Chetan, Bina; Eshan on 4 (D).
Q6-10: Floors (1 to 7): Gaurav (Turtle, 1), Meera (Rabbit, 2), Hina (Fish, 3), Jaya (Cat, 4), Karan (Dog, 5), Ishan (Snake, 6), Lata (Bird, 7). Hina on 3 (Fish). Jaya above Meera (Jaya at 4, Meera at 2). One between Gaurav-Karan (Gaurav at 1, Karan at 5). Dog on even (invalid, adjust: Karan at 5, Dog). Turtle not on 7 (Gaurav at 1). Ishan not Bird (Lata at 7). Answers: 6. Gaurav (A), 7. Bird on 7 (E), 8. Ishan (C), 9. Rabbit (C), 10. After Cat-Turtle exchange: Cat at 1, Turtle at 4; Karan on 5 (D).
Q11-15: Floors (1 to 8): R (Singing, 1), V (Gardening, 2), S (Cooking, 3), T (Painting, 4), P (Writing, 5), W (Dancing, 6), U (Reading, 7), Q (Swimming, 8). R on 1 (Singing). Q on even above 4 (6 or 8, Q at 8). Two between P and W (P at 5, W at 6). S below T (S at 3, T at 4). Gardening below 6 (V at 2). U not Cooking (S at 3). Answers: 11. T (D), 12. Reading on 7 (D), 13. U (D), 14. Dancing (B), 15. After P-U exchange: R, V, S, T, U, W, P, Q; P on 7 (A).
