Quantitative Aptitude · Seating Arrangements

Rectangular and Square Seating Arrangement for CA Foundation

Updated 1 October 2026 · Fact-checked

A rectangular or square seating arrangement places people at corners and along the sides of a table. Draw the table, number the seats clockwise, and note who faces the centre or outside. Facing inward, your left is the clockwise neighbour; facing outward, it flips. Place fixed clues first, then use opposites and neighbours to finish.

Understand Rectangular and Square Seating Arrangement

In this topic, people sit around a rectangular or square table. Some sit at the corners and some along the sides. The question tells you how many people there are and which way each group faces.

The key idea is that the table is a closed loop, like a circle. If you number the seats 1, 2, 3 and so on in clockwise order as seen from above, every clue becomes a move along that loop. The facing direction decides whether "left" means clockwise or anticlockwise.

A common square setup has 8 people: 4 at the corners and 4 at the middle of the sides. A common rectangle setup has 6 people: 2 on each long side and 1 on each short side. Seat counts and positions change from question to question, so always read the setup line first.

Corner people usually face diagonally, either towards the centre or away from it. Side people usually face the centre or directly outward. Questions often say "corner persons face outside and side persons face the centre". Treat that line as a rule for every clue that follows.

You are then asked who sits where, who is opposite whom, or who sits to the left or right of someone. Because the paper is MCQ with negative marking, a neat diagram and a fixed clockwise numbering save time and prevent wrong answers.

Key formulas to remember

Left and right when facing the centre: Left = next seat clockwise; Right = next seat anticlockwise; Seen from above. Valid for anyone facing the centre of the table.
Left and right when facing outside: Left = next seat anticlockwise; Right = next seat clockwise; This is the exact reverse of the inward rule. Check each person's facing before using it.
Opposite seat in a table with 8 seats: Opposite of seat p = seat p + 4 (subtract 8 if above 8); Works when seats are numbered clockwise 1 to 8 around a square table.
Opposite seats in a table with 6 seats: Opposite pairs: 1–5, 2–4, 3–6; For the 2-1-2-1 rectangle numbered clockwise: seats 1 and 2 on top, 3 at the right end, 4 and 5 on the bottom, 6 at the left end. Only the end seats (3 and 6) follow p + 3. Long-side seats pair up as 1–5 and 2–4. Redraw the pairs if your numbering starts elsewhere.
Same facing on a side: People on the same side face the same way; Two people on one long side face the same direction, so left and right mean the same for both.
Corner and side positions in an 8-seat square: Odd seats = corners, even seats = side middles (or the reverse, as numbered); Corners and sides alternate. Fix this at the start so you can check each clue against it.

How to solve Rectangular and Square Seating Arrangement questions

Use this method for any rectangular or square seating question. Spend the first minute on the setup, because most errors start there.

1Read the setup line. Note the shape, number of people, who sits at corners, who sits at sides, and who faces where.
2Draw the table and number the seats 1 to n clockwise. Mark corner seats and side seats.
3Write the left and right rule beside the diagram for each facing group: inward means left is clockwise, outward means left is anticlockwise.
4Start with the clues that name a fixed seat, such as a corner, a side, or an opposite pair. Place those people first.
5Convert every neighbour clue into a move along the numbered loop, using the facing of the person named in the clue.
6For clues with two possible placements, write both options lightly and cancel one when a later clue conflicts.
7Once all people are seated, re-read each clue against your diagram to confirm it holds.
8Answer the question from the finished diagram and match it to exactly one option.

Quickest way: Clockwise-number method

When to use it: Use it when the setup is clear and you must finish in about a minute, as in an MCQ paper with negative marking.

Skip drawing a full table. Write a row of seat numbers 1 to 8 (or 1 to 6) in a circle shape and mark corners with a star.
Place opposite pairs and corner clues first. They are the most restrictive and the least ambiguous.
Use a fixed tag for left and right. For inward-facing people, write L = +1 and R = -1 on the margin. For outward-facing, write L = -1 and R = +1.
Fill names by adding or subtracting from the seat number instead of re-imagining the picture each time.
Eliminate options early. If an option names someone you already placed elsewhere, cross it out.
If a clue creates two cases and you cannot resolve them in about 30 seconds, move on. Return only if time remains.

Common mistakes in Rectangular and Square Seating Arrangement

Mixing up left and right for people who face outward
Students learn the inward rule first and apply it to every person.
Fix: Next to each person, jot I (inward) or O (outward) and apply the matching rule. Reverse the direction for O.
Forgetting that corner and side people may face different ways
The facing statement is usually in the first line and is easy to skip when scanning clues.
Fix: Underline the facing line and copy it beside your diagram before reading any clue.
Counting seats wrongly while moving around the table
Students count the starting seat as step 1 or do not wrap around from seat n to seat 1.
Fix: Use seat numbers. Second to the left of seat 7 is seat 7 + 2 = 9, which wraps to seat 1 in an 8-seat table.
Assuming the opposite seat in a rectangle follows the square pattern
A 6-seat rectangle has two end seats and two seats on each long side, so the pattern differs from the 8-seat square.
Fix: Draw the actual layout and list the opposite pairs. In the 6-seat rectangle numbered clockwise from the top left, the pairs are 1–5, 2–4 and 3–6. Do not use p + 3 for the long-side seats.
Placing a person using a clue before fixing the earlier, more certain clues
Students follow the order the clues are printed in.
Fix: Sort the clues: fixed positions and opposites first, relative positions next, conditional clues last.
Choosing an answer without checking all clues again
Time pressure leads to skipping the final verification.
Fix: Do a 15-second pass over each clue before answering. One failed clue means the diagram is wrong and the answer is likely wrong too.

Worked examples

Example 1

Eight friends A, B, C, E, F, G, H and D sit around a square table, four at the corners and four at the middle of the sides. All face the centre. A sits at a corner. B is the immediate left of A. C is second to the left of A. E sits opposite A. G is the immediate right of A. D sits between C and E. F is the immediate left of E. Who sits third to the right of F? (a) D (b) B (c) C (d) H

Show the solution

Number the seats 1 to 8 clockwise. Everyone faces the centre, so left = clockwise (+1) and right = anticlockwise (-1).
Put A at seat 1, a corner.
B is the immediate left of A, so B = seat 2.
C is second to the left of A, so C = seat 3.
E is opposite A, so E = seat 1 + 4 = seat 5.
G is the immediate right of A, so G = seat 8.
D sits between C and E, so D = seat 4.
F is the immediate left of E, so F = seat 6. The remaining person H takes seat 7.
Third to the right of F means three seats anticlockwise from seat 6: seat 5, seat 4, seat 3. Seat 3 is C.

Answer: (c) C

Example 2

Six persons P, Q, R, S, T and U sit around a rectangular table. Two sit on each long side and one at each short side. All face the centre. P sits at a short side. Q sits opposite P. R is the immediate right of P. S sits opposite R. U sits on the same side as R. Who sits opposite U? (a) S (b) R (c) T (d) Q

Show the solution

Number the seats clockwise: seat 1 and seat 2 on the top long side, seat 3 at the right short side, seats 4 and 5 on the bottom long side, seat 6 at the left short side. The opposite pairs are 1–5, 2–4 and 3–6.
Place P at seat 3, a short side. Q sits opposite, so Q = seat 6.
Everyone faces the centre, so right = anticlockwise. P faces the left of the table from the right end, and the immediate right of P is the next seat anticlockwise, seat 2. So R = seat 2.
S sits opposite R. The opposite of seat 2 is seat 4, so S = seat 4.
U sits on the same side as R, so U takes the other top seat, seat 1. The remaining person T takes seat 5.
The seat opposite U (seat 1) is seat 5, which is T.

Answer: (c) T

Example 3

Eight persons sit around a square table, four at the corners and four at the middle of the sides. Persons at the corners face outside. Persons at the middle of the sides face the centre. A sits at a corner. B is second to the right of A. C is the immediate left of A. E is the immediate right of C. F sits opposite A. Who sits second to the left of E? (a) B (b) A (c) C (d) F

Show the solution

Number the seats 1 to 8 clockwise and put A at seat 1, a corner. Odd seats are corners and face outside. Even seats are side middles and face the centre.
A faces outside, so A's right = clockwise (+1) and A's left = anticlockwise (-1).
B is second to the right of A, so B = seat 3.
C is the immediate left of A, so C = seat 8, a side seat.
C faces the centre, so C's right = anticlockwise (-1). E is the immediate right of C, so E = seat 7, a corner.
F sits opposite A, so F = seat 1 + 4 = seat 5.
E at seat 7 is a corner and faces outside, so E's left = anticlockwise. Second to the left of E is seat 7 - 2 = seat 5.
Seat 5 is F.

Answer: (d) F

Exam tips

Read the facing line twice. Corner and side groups often face differently, and one wrong assumption spoils every later clue.
Number seats clockwise from above and keep that rule for the whole question. A single consistent system beats a neat but vague drawing.
If two clues give conflicting places, the diagram is wrong. Recheck the facing rule before changing anything else.
With 0.25 negative marking, attempt a question only if you can fix at least three people with certainty. If clues stay open after a minute, move on and return later.
Questions from the same set share one arrangement. Solve the set once and answer all its questions from the same diagram.

Practice questions from Seating Arrangements

Rectangular and Square Seating Arrangement: frequently asked questions

How do I find left and right in a square seating arrangement?

Check who faces the centre and who faces outside. For people facing the centre, left is the next seat clockwise and right is anticlockwise. For people facing outside, swap these.

Where do people sit in a rectangular table question?

The question states the layout. A common one has two people on each long side and one on each short side. Corners may also be used, so always follow the given setup rather than assuming one.

Is the opposite seat always seat number plus half the total?

No. In an 8-seat square numbered clockwise, the opposite of seat p is p + 4 (subtract 8 if needed). In the 6-seat rectangle with 2-1-2-1 seating, only the end seats follow p + 3. The pairs there are 1–5, 2–4 and 3–6, so list them from your own diagram.

How is this different from circular seating?

The loop logic is the same, but the shape adds corners, sides, and sometimes different facing for each group. Circular tables usually have everyone facing the same way relative to the centre.