Given below is the time table for a trans-continental train that cuts across several time zones. All timings are in local time in the respective cities. The average speed of the train between any two cities is the same in both directions.
XAT Scheduling Questions
Question 1
Which of the following pairs of cities are in the same time zone?
Solution
The above figure shows the time taken in hrs:min to travel between two consecutive cities both for upward and downward journeys.
The difference in time between two consecutive cities will be the average of the difference in time taken for upward and downward journeys.
So, the difference of time for different consecutive pairs can be found as below:
Z-Y:
For both up & down motions time difference is 0. Hence, Z & Y are in same time zone.
Y-V:
Time taken for travelling from Y to V is less than that of from V to Y with a difference of 4 hrs. Hence, Y is 2 hours ahead of V.
V-S:
Time taken for travelling from V to S is less than that of from S to V with a difference of 6 hrs. Hence, V is 3 hours ahead of S.
S-R:
Time taken for travelling from S to R is less than that of from R to S with a difference of 2 hrs. Hence, S is 1 hour ahead of R.
As shown above, only cities Zut and Yag are in same time-zone.
Hence, option C.
Given below is the time table for a trans-continental train that cuts across several time zones. All timings are in local time in the respective cities. The average speed of the train between any two cities is the same in both directions.
Question 2
What is the total time taken in minutes by the train to go from Zut to Raz?
Solution
The above figure shows the time taken in hrs:min to travel between two consecutive cities both for upward and downward journeys.
The difference in time between two consecutive cities will be the average of the difference in time taken for upward and downward journeys.
So, the difference of time for different consecutive pairs can be found as below:
Z-Y:
For both up & down motions time difference is 0. Hence, Z & Y are in same time zone.
Y-V:
Time taken for travelling from Y to V is less than that of from V to Y with a difference of 4 hrs. Hence, Y is 2 hours ahead of V.
V-S:
Time taken for travelling from V to S is less than that of from S to V with a difference of 6 hrs. Hence, V is 3 hours ahead of S.
S-R:
Time taken for travelling from S to R is less than that of from R to S with a difference of 2 hrs. Hence, S is 1 hour ahead of R.
Zut is 6 hours ahead of Rag. Also, the train departs from Zut at 6:00 am and arrives at Rag at 10:40 pm taking a total of 16 hrs 40 min. Hence, the total time taken to travel from Zut to Rag is 22 hrs 40 min.
Hence, option A.
Given below is the time table for a trans-continental train that cuts across several time zones. All timings are in local time in the respective cities. The average speed of the train between any two cities is the same in both directions.
Question 3
What time is it at Yag when it is 12:00 noon at Sab?
Solution
The above figure shows the time taken in hrs:min to travel between two consecutive cities both for upward and downward journeys.
The difference in time between two consecutive cities will be the average of the difference in time taken for upward and downward journeys.
So, the difference of time for different consecutive pairs can be found as below:
Z-Y:
For both up & down motions time difference is 0. Hence, Z & Y are in same time zone.
Y-V:
Time taken for travelling from Y to V is less than that of from V to Y with a difference of 4 hrs. Hence, Y is 2 hours ahead of V.
V-S:
Time taken for travelling from V to S is less than that of from S to V with a difference of 6 hrs. Hence, V is 3 hours ahead of S.
S-R:
Time taken for travelling from S to R is less than that of from R to S with a difference of 2 hrs. Hence, S is 1 hour ahead of R.
It can be concluded that Yag is 5 hours ahead of Sab. Hence, it will be 5:00 Pm at Yag when it is 12 noon at Sab.
Hence, option A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Scheduling is a Logical Reasoning topic tested in XAT that evaluates a candidate's ability to allocate time slots, assign tasks, or schedule events for individuals or groups based on a given set of constraints.
XAT Scheduling questions may involve arranging tasks or events across a defined time frame, assigning activities to people with specific availability, or determining the sequence of operations subject to time and resource constraints. They are often presented as multi-question sets.
Candidates should practise creating time grids or slot-allocation tables to organise the given data. Focus on identifying fixed time slots or mandatory assignments first, then use elimination to fill in the remaining schedule. Practising a variety of scheduling sets from previous papers helps build the required speed.
Scheduling questions in XAT are of moderate to high difficulty, particularly when multiple constraints interact. Careful reading and structured representation of all conditions are key to solving these sets within the allotted time.
Cracku's XAT Scheduling questions include diverse scheduling formats modelled on the XAT exam pattern. The detailed solutions demonstrate efficient grid-based approaches and condition-mapping techniques that help candidates tackle scheduling problems systematically.
