Each of L, M, N, O, W, X and Y has an exam on a different day of a week starting from Monday and ending on Sunday of the same week. Y has exam on Thursday. W has exam before Y and only one person has exam between them. Only four people have exams between N and W. M has exam on one of the days after W. X has exam on the day immediately before L. How many people have exam between L and M?

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

Explanation

The final schedule places M's exam on Wednesday and L's exam on Saturday.
The days falling between Wednesday and Saturday are Thursday and Friday.
According to the derived schedule, Y has an exam on Thursday and X has an exam on Friday.
Therefore, there are exactly two people (Y and X) who have their exams between M and L.

Option B: This is an incorrect count. Having four people between M and L would imply a different final arrangement of the schedule, which contradicts the given constraints.
Option C: This is an incorrect count. A result of three people would require an error in placing one of the individuals, such as misinterpreting the gap between W and N.
Option D: This is an incorrect count. This would only be possible if M and L were scheduled much closer together, for instance, on Wednesday and Friday, which is not supported by the logical deduction.

Visual 1: Table - A 7-day weekly schedule table that is filled in step-by-step to visually track the placement of each person.
Visual 2: Flowchart - Illustrates the decision-making process, showing how each constraint leads to the placement of a person on a specific day.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Logical Reasoning - Scheduling Puzzle as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a logical reasoning question designed to test problem-solving and analytical skills.
While not a direct clinical scenario, the ability to process multiple pieces of information and arrive at a logical conclusion is a critical skill for nurses in prioritizing care and making sound clinical judgments.
What if? - If the constraint was 'only three people have exams between N and W', N would be placed on Saturday, which would then shift L and X to different days, changing the final answer.

How to Approach the Question

First, create a template for the week from Monday to Sunday.
Identify the most definite piece of information to anchor your schedule. In this case, 'Y has an exam on Thursday'.
Use relative information to place other individuals. For example, use Y's position to determine W's position.
Continue to build the schedule by applying each constraint one by one. Use the placement of W to find N.
Look for pairs or blocks of information, like 'X has an exam on the day immediately before L', and find where this block fits into the remaining empty slots.
Use the process of elimination to place the last remaining individuals.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full RRB Nsg. Superintendent -29 April-2025 (shift-2nd)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.