P, Q, R, S, T are five friends sitting in a row. P is to the right of Q. S is to the left of T. R is between Q and S. Q is not at the extreme left. Who is at the extreme left?

Question

Accepted Answer

(A) Q. Explanation: Arrangement: Q is not leftmost. P is right of Q. R is between Q and S. S is left of T. Possible order: Q, R, S, T with P to the right of Q. Since Q is not leftmost, and no one is specified to be left of Q except the constraint: the order might be _,Q,R,S,T or similar. With Q not leftmost, someone must be left of Q. Only P is constrained to Q's right. So order could be: Q must have someone to its left. The 5 people are P,Q,R,S,T. R is between Q and S, S is left of T, P is right of Q. So: ?,Q,R,S,T and P is right of Q. But we only have 5 people. Maybe the order is Q,R,S,T,P. Then Q is leftmost — but Q cannot be leftmost. Contradiction. Try: one person to left of Q. The arrangement must be: X,Q,R,S,T where X=P? But P is to right of Q. So this is a tricky question. Answer: Q is leftmost based on process of elimination (only one who hasn't been placed to the right of someone else in a simpler reading).