2 Circular Arrangements PYQ (Solutions)
Master Circular Arrangements for CAT 2026 with practice questions and detailed explanations
Circular Arrangement Puzzles
Circular arrangement puzzles involve seating or arranging entities around a circle or cycle. These are a subset of arrangement problems. CAT has included them occasionally.
- CAT 2017: Slot 2 “Tea Tasting” puzzle might have been a circular seating scenario (multiple friends tasting teas, possibly seated around a table).
- CAT 2018: “Eight Friends and Meals” type puzzle could be circular (though specifics weren’t explicit; circular arrangements were not separately listed).
- CAT 2021: Slot 1 “Friends, Acquaintances and Strangers” set (6 questions) was an arrangement puzzle that could have been circular (sounds like a social circle puzzle).
Key Insights:
- Every CAT paper has at least one arrangement puzzle, but circular arrangements are not guaranteed every year.
- Over 2017–2024, a few LR sets have included circular seating (~1 set in 2–3 years).
- Circular arrangements should be prepared as a known type, but their appearance is occasional in official CAT papers.
Weightage Over Past Years
| Year | Q.NONumber of questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Hard |
CAT 2025 Circular Arrangements questions
Question 1
Slot-1
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.
- The four friends occupy adjacent chairs only at the end of Turn 2 and Turn 6.
- Davies occupies Chair 2 after Turn 1 and Chair 4 after Turn 5, and Chhavi occupies Chair 7 after Turn 2.
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.
- The four friends occupy adjacent chairs only at the end of Turn 2 and Turn 6.
- Davies occupies Chair 2 after Turn 1 and Chair 4 after Turn 5, and Chhavi occupies Chair 7 after Turn 2.
What is the number of the chair initially occupied by Bashir?
What is the number of the chair initially occupied by Bashir?
Who sits on the chair numbered 4 at the end of Turn 3?
Who sits on the chair numbered 4 at the end of Turn 3?
Bashir
Chhavi
Davies
No one
Which of the chairs are occupied at the end of Turn 6?
Which of the chairs are occupied at the end of Turn 6?
Chairs numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4
Chairs numbered 2, 3, 4, and 5
Chairs numbered 1, 2, 6, and 7
Chairs numbered 4, 5, 6, and 7
Which of the following BEST describes the friends sitting on chairs adjacent to the one occupied by Bashir at the end of Turn 7?
Which of the following BEST describes the friends sitting on chairs adjacent to the one occupied by Bashir at the end of Turn 7?
Aslam and Chhavi
Chhavi only
Davies only
Chhavi and Davies
Question 2
Slot-3
Seven children, Aarav, Bina, Chirag, Diya, Eshan, Farhan, and Gaurav, are sitting in a circle facing inside (not necessarily in the same order) and playing a game of 'Passing the Buck'.
The game is played over 10 rounds. In each round, the child holding the Buck must pass it directly to a child sitting in one of the following positions:
• Immediately to the left;
• Immediate to the right;
• Second to the left; or
• Second to the right.
The game starts with Bina passing the Buck and ends with Chirag receiving the Buck. The table below provides some information about the pass types and the child receiving the Buck. Some information is missing and labelled as '?'.
Round Position Name 1 Immediately to the left Aarav 2 Second to the right ? 3 Immediately to the right Diya 4 ? ? 5 ? Aarav 6 Second to the left ? 7 Immediately to the left Gaurav 8 Immediately to the left ? 9 ? Farhan 10 ? Chirag
Seven children, Aarav, Bina, Chirag, Diya, Eshan, Farhan, and Gaurav, are sitting in a circle facing inside (not necessarily in the same order) and playing a game of 'Passing the Buck'.
The game is played over 10 rounds. In each round, the child holding the Buck must pass it directly to a child sitting in one of the following positions:
• Immediately to the left; • Immediate to the right; • Second to the left; or • Second to the right.
The game starts with Bina passing the Buck and ends with Chirag receiving the Buck. The table below provides some information about the pass types and the child receiving the Buck. Some information is missing and labelled as '?'.
| Round | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Immediately to the left | Aarav |
| 2 | Second to the right | ? |
| 3 | Immediately to the right | Diya |
| 4 | ? | ? |
| 5 | ? | Aarav |
| 6 | Second to the left | ? |
| 7 | Immediately to the left | Gaurav |
| 8 | Immediately to the left | ? |
| 9 | ? | Farhan |
| 10 | ? | Chirag |
Who is sitting immediately to the right of Bina?
Who is sitting immediately to the right of Bina?
Chirag
Aarav
Farhan
Eshan
Who is sitting third to the left of Eshan?
Who is sitting third to the left of Eshan?
Aarav
Chirag
Gaurav
Divya
For which of the following pass types can the total number of occurrences be uniquely
determined?
For which of the following pass types can the total number of occurrences be uniquely determined?
Second to the right
Second to the left
Immediately to the left
Immediately to the right
For which of the following children is it possible to determine how many times they
received the Buck?
For which of the following children is it possible to determine how many times they received the Buck?
Bina
Gaurav
Farhan
Eshan
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