Introduction / Context:
This is a straightforward linear seating arrangement question, where the order of five friends is explicitly given. The task is simply to identify which friend sits immediately to the right of a specified person in the row. Such questions check your ability to read positional information accurately without overcomplicating the situation.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Five friends: M, Q, B, C and D.
- All are sitting in a single row and are facing north.
- From left to right, the positions are: M, D, B, Q, C.
- “Immediately to the right” means the adjacent seat on the right side in this left-to-right order.
Concept / Approach:
When people face north, the left-to-right order that we read on paper corresponds directly to their left-to-right positions. To find who is immediately to the right of D, we look at the person who appears directly after D in the sequence M, D, B, Q, C.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write the seating order clearly: position 1 = M, position 2 = D, position 3 = B, position 4 = Q, position 5 = C.
Step 2: Identify D's position in the row. D is at position 2 from the left.
Step 3: The person immediately to the right of D is the one seated in the next position to the right in the written order, that is, position 3.
Step 4: From the sequence, position 3 is occupied by B.
Step 5: Therefore, B is the friend sitting immediately to the right of D.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can quickly visualize the arrangement as: M | D | B | Q | C. Standing in front of the row and facing north, the right-hand neighbors are obvious: right of M is D, right of D is B, right of B is Q, right of Q is C, and C has no one to its right. This confirms that B is uniquely to the right of D.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
M: M is to the left of D, so cannot be to the right.
Q: Q is two seats to the right of D, not immediately adjacent.
C: C is three seats to the right of D, too far away to be called immediate.
Cannot be determined: The arrangement is completely specified, so there is no ambiguity. We can clearly determine the correct neighbor.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners overthink the phrase “immediately right” and attempt to bring in additional, nonexistent constraints. Others might misread the left-to-right order due to not fixing the direction (north) in their mind. Always rewrite the positions clearly and then pick the direct neighbor from the given ordered list.
Final Answer:
Hence, the person sitting immediately to the right of D is
B.
Discussion & Comments