Math Problem of the Week - Middle School - Aug. 29, 2021 to Sept. 4, 2021

Middle School: 

Question: Clara, Freddy, Henry, and Liza are all sitting together on a sofa. Clara is sitting next to Henry, and Freddy is not. Clara and Freddy are both between two people, and Liza is not. Liza is to the left of Henry. From left to right, in what order are they sitting? 

Answer: Liza, Freddy, Clara, Henry

Solution: The first pieces of information we can use to eliminate seating options are who’s in between two people and who isn’t. We know that Clara and Freddy cannot be on the ends, and Liza must be on the far left or right. Liza cannot be on the far right because she is to the left of Henry. So, since Liza must be on the far left and Clara and Freddy are in the middle, Henry must be on the far right. Since Clara is next to Henry, she must be third, which means Freddy must be second.