Question

Five friends are standing in a row and all facing North. Tony is not adjacent to Bony or Mony. Sony is not adjacent to Bony. Tony is adjacent to Dony. Dony is at the middle in the row. Then, which pair is at the extreme ends of the row ?

• A. Tony, Dony
• B. Dony, Bony
• C. Sony, Dony
• D. Mony, Tony
• E. Sony, Mony

Hint:

In 5-person row questions with a fixed middle, try both positions (left and right of middle) for the adjacent person and use elimination for the extremes.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Concept Analysis:
Linear arrangement of 5 people. Place Dony at position 3 (middle), then use constraints.

Step 2: Solution Approach:
Positions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Dony = 3 (middle). Tony is adjacent to Dony $\Rightarrow$ Tony at 2 or 4. Tony is NOT adjacent to Bony or Mony. If Tony=2: positions 1 and 3 are neighbors; pos 3=Dony (ok), pos 1 must not be Bony or Mony $\Rightarrow$ pos 1 = Sony. Remaining: Bony and Mony at positions 4 and 5. Sony $\neq$ adjacent to Bony: Sony=1, adjacent is pos 2=Tony only $\checkmark$. Bony at 4 or 5 -- Bony is not adjacent to Tony(2): pos 4 is adjacent to Tony? No, Tony=2, adjacent is 1 and 3; pos 4 is not adjacent to Tony $\checkmark$. So arrangement: Sony, Tony, Dony, Bony, Mony or Sony, Tony, Dony, Mony, Bony. Extreme ends = Sony and Bony/Mony $\Rightarrow$ pair = Sony, Mony (or Sony, Bony). Official answer: Sony, Mony.

Step 3: Conclusion:
The pair at the extreme ends is Sony and Mony.