Ranking Test Reasoning – Complete Notes, Formulas, Tricks & Solved Questions

Ranking Test in Reasoning – Complete Notes, Formulas, Tricks & Solved Questions

Ranking Test is one of the most important and frequently asked topics in the Reasoning Ability section of competitive examinations. Questions are based on the position of persons or objects from the top, bottom, left or right, along with concepts such as rank difference, persons between two positions and finding the total number of persons. This complete guide covers Ranking Test formulas, shortcut tricks, important concepts, common mistakes and solved examples to help students solve ranking questions quickly and accurately in exams.

Formula - 1 

• Total persons = Rank from top + Rank from bottom − 1
• Trick : Total = Top + Bottom − 1

Example

Rahul is 7th from the top and 13th from the bottom.

Therefore, Total = 7 + 13 − 1 = 19

So, there are 19 persons.

Why subtract 1?

Because the same person is counted once from the top and once from the bottom.

Formula - 2

• Rank from opposite side = Total − Rank from known side + 1

Example

There are 30 students. Anil is 8th from the top.

His rank from the bottom = 30 − 8 + 1 = 23rd

So, Anil is 23rd from the bottom.

Formula - 3

• Persons between = Difference between their ranks − 1

Example - 1

A is 8th from the top and B is 15th from the top.

Persons between them = 15 − 8 − 1  = 6

Therefore, 6 persons are between A and B.

Example - 2

Note : If one rank is from the top and another is from the bottom, convert both to the same side before finding the gap.

A is 8th from the top. B is 12th from the bottom. Total students = 30. Then

First convert B's rank into rank from the top:

B's top rank  = 30 − 12 + 1 = 19

Now:

Persons between A and B  = 19 − 8 − 1 = 10

Therefore, 10 students are between them.

Note: Instead of asking Top and bottom , it may ask as left and right. Then Use Top = write & bottom = left.

Rank of a Person Who Is Between Two People

Example - 1

A is 5th from the top and B is 9 places below A.

Then, B's rank: 5 + 9 = 14th

Example - 2

A is 5th from the top and 9 persons are between A and B,

Then: B's rank: 5 + 9 + 1 = 15th.

Trick :

• 5 persons between → difference = 6 ( 5 persons between means 6-position difference )
• 5 places between → 5 positions difference

Solved Question & Answer

Q1. A student is 15th from the top and 18th from the bottom. How many students are there?

Solution:

Total = 15 + 18 − 1 = 32

Answer: 32 students

Q2. In a class of 40 students, Rina is 12th from the top. What is her rank from the bottom?

Solution:

Rank from the bottom = = 40 − 12 + 1 = 29

Answer: 29th

Q3. A is 8th from the top and B is 17th from the top. How many persons are between them?

Solution:

Persons between A and B = 17 − 8 − 1 = 8

Q4. In a row of 35 students, A is 9th from the left. What is A's position from the right?

Solution:

A's position from the right = 35 − 9 + 1 = 27

Answer: 27th from the right

Q5. Rahul is 7th from the top. There are 5 students between Rahul and Amit. Amit is below Rahul. What is Amit's rank from the top?

Solution:

Amit's rank:  = 7 + 5 + 1 = 13th

Answer: 13th

Q6. Rahul is 7th from the top. Amit is 5 places below Rahul.  What is Amit's rank from the top?

Solution:

Amit's rank: = 7 + 5  = 12th

Answer: 12th

Q7. A is 10th from the top and B is 15th from the bottom in a class of 35. How many students are between A and B?

Solution:

B's rank from top: = 35 − 15 + 1 = 21

Now,

Students between A & B = = 21 − 10 − 1 = 10

Answer: 10 students

Q8. There are 6 persons above P and 9 persons below P. Find the total number of persons.

Solution:

P's rank from top = 6 + 1 = 7

P's rank from bottom = 9 + 1 = 10

Total:  Rank from top + Rank from bottom − 1 = 7 + 10 − 1 = 16

Answer: 16 persons

Q9. In a row, A is 11th from the left and B is 16th from the right. If there are 7 persons between them and A is to the left of B, find the total number of persons.

Solution:

B's position from left = 11 + 7 + 1 = 19

So, B is 19th from left and 16th from right.

Now, 

Total = Top + Bottom − 1

              = Left  + right -1 

            = 19 + 16 − 1

            = 34

Answer: 34 persons

Q10. In a row of girls, Gauri is 11th from each end. How many girls are there inthe row

Solution:

Total = Top + Bottom − 1

              = Left  + right -1 

            = 11 + 11 − 1

            =21

Therefore, there are 21 girls in the row.

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FAQs

Q1. What is the basic formula for solving Ranking Test questions in Reasoning?

Ans: The main formula is Total Number = Rank from Top + Rank from Bottom − 1. To find the rank from the opposite side, use Opposite Rank = Total Number − Given Rank + 1.

Q2. How can I solve Ranking Test questions quickly in competitive exams?

Ans: First identify the direction of the rank (top/bottom or left/right), convert ranks to the same direction if necessary, and then apply the appropriate ranking formula. Practising questions based on total persons, opposite rank, persons between two positions, and relative ranking can improve speed and accuracy.