Five students P, Q, R, S and T are sitting in a row on a bench. Q is seated to the left of P and to the right of T. S is at the extreme right end of the row, and R is seated immediately to the left of S. Who is sitting third from the left end?

Introduction / Context:
This verbal reasoning question tests understanding of linear seating arrangements. Five students are seated in a row, and several relative position clues are given. By interpreting and combining these clues, you need to determine who occupies the third position from the left. Such arrangement problems are common in competitive exams and require careful logical deduction.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Students: P, Q, R, S and T. - All five students are sitting in a single straight row with no empty seats. - Q is to the left of P and to the right of T, so the sequence T, Q, P must hold from left to right. - S is at the extreme right end of the row. - R is immediately to the left of S. - We must identify who is sitting third from the left end.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to convert the verbal clues into positional relationships and then arrange the students accordingly. Because there are exactly five people and several strong constraints, the final arrangement is uniquely determined. First, we note the fixed segment T, Q, P, which must appear consecutively in that order from left to right. Next, we place S at the extreme right and R immediately to its left. Finally, we check how these two groups can fit together into a row of five seats. Consistency checks ensure that all clues are satisfied simultaneously.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: From the condition that Q is to the left of P and right of T, we deduce the mini sequence T, Q, P in that order from left to right. Step 2: From the statement that S is at the extreme right end, place S in the fifth position from the left. Step 3: Because R is immediately to the left of S, R must occupy the fourth position from the left. Step 4: Now all five positions are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Positions 4 and 5 are R and S respectively. The triple T, Q, P must fit in the remaining three positions 1, 2 and 3, in that order. Step 5: Therefore, the final arrangement from left to right is T in position 1, Q in position 2, P in position 3, R in position 4, and S in position 5. Step 6: The third position from the left is occupied by P.

Verification / Alternative check:
Recheck each clue against the final order T, Q, P, R, S. Q is indeed to the left of P and to the right of T. S is at the extreme right end in position 5. R is immediately to the left of S in position 4. All given conditions are satisfied. There is no alternative arrangement that respects all clues simultaneously, so the solution is unique. This confirms that our reasoning is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Q sits in the second position from the left, not the third. - R sits in the fourth position from the left. - T sits in the first position from the left. - S sits in the fifth and extreme right position. Because only P occupies the third seat from the left, all other options are incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to ignore the phrase immediately to the left when placing R relative to S. Some candidates also misinterpret the two sided relation for Q, placing Q correctly between T and P but failing to maintain the correct order T, Q, P. Another error is to draw several partial arrangements without ensuring that all clues are satisfied together. Drawing a single clear row and filling it step by step is the safest strategy.

Final Answer:
The student sitting third from the left end of the row is P.