In a queue, Shankar is ninth from the rear end and Althaf is eighth from the front. Nitu is standing somewhere strictly between Shankar and Althaf. What is the minimum possible number of boys standing in the queue?

Introduction / Context:
This is a positions in a queue or ordering question. It tests understanding of how positions counted from the front and from the rear relate to the total number of people, and how to ensure that a third person can stand between two given positions. Questions like this are common in verbal and logical reasoning sections.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Shankar is 9th from the rear end.
• Althaf is 8th from the front.
• Nitu stands somewhere strictly between Shankar and Althaf.
• We want the minimum possible total number of boys in the queue.

Concept / Approach:
Let the number of boys in the queue be N. Positions from the front and rear must be consistent: position from front of a person is N minus position from rear plus 1. We use this relationship for Shankar. Then we use the requirement that Nitu must have at least one position strictly between Althaf and Shankar, which gives a minimum distance between their positions and thus a minimum value of N.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Let N be the total number of boys.Step 2: Shankar is 9th from the rear, so his position from the front is N - 9 + 1 = N - 8.Step 3: Althaf is 8th from the front, so his position from the front is 8.Step 4: Nitu is strictly between them, so there must be at least one position between 8 and N - 8.Step 5: For at least one integer between 8 and N - 8, we need (N - 8) - 8 >= 2.Step 6: This simplifies to N - 16 >= 2, so N >= 18.Step 7: For N = 18, Shankar is at position 10 from the front and Althaf at position 8, so Nitu can stand at position 9, which is strictly between them.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you try N = 17, then Shankar would be at position 17 - 8 = 9 from the front, while Althaf is at 8. There is no integer position strictly between 8 and 9, so Nitu cannot stand between them. Therefore N = 18 is indeed the smallest possible value that allows a position for Nitu in the middle.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Values 16 or 17 are too small and do not leave any gap between Althaf and Shankar for Nitu. Values like 20 or 22 are possible but not minimal; they satisfy the condition but the question specifically asks for the minimum possible number of boys.

Common Pitfalls:

• Forgetting to convert Shankar position from rear to a position from front using the correct formula.
• Allowing Nitu to be at the same position as one of the boys instead of strictly between them.
• Assuming that the total is simply the sum of the two positions without considering overlap.

Final Answer:
The minimum possible number of boys in the queue is 18.