Read the given information carefully and answer the question that follows.

Eight professionals hold different positions, namely Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Vice President (VP), Senior Director (SD), Director (Dir), Senior Manager (SM), Manager (Mgr), and Officer (Off) in an organization. The hierarchy of their seniority is in the same sequence as listed, where CEO represents the highest rank and Officer represents the lowest rank.

Exactly two ranks separate A and B, where B holds a position junior to Director. C is immediately junior to E and immediately senior to D. The number of individuals ranking senior to E is equal to the number of individuals ranking junior to F. G ranks junior to H, and H does not hold the rank of CEO.

How many ranks separate C and the one who is the Manager?

Correct Answer: More than three

Let us arrange the eight professionals according to their given hierarchy from highest to lowest rank:

1. CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
2. COO (Chief Operating Officer)
3. VP (Vice President)
4. SD (Senior Director)
5. Dir (Director)
6. SM (Senior Manager)
7. Mgr (Manager)
8. Off (Officer)

Step-by-step Deduction:

1. Block of E, C, and D:
C is immediately junior to E and immediately senior to D. This forms a consecutive group of three ranks: E → C → D.

2. Positions of E, C, D, and F:
Place E at Rank 1 (CEO), C at Rank 2 (COO), and D at Rank 3 (VP).
The number of individuals ranking senior to E is 0.
Therefore, the number of individuals ranking junior to F must also be 0, which places F at Rank 8 (Officer).

3. Positions of A and B:
B holds a rank junior to Director (Dir). Exactly two ranks separate A and B.
If B is placed at Rank 7 (Manager), then A must be placed at Rank 4 (Senior Director), leaving exactly 2 ranks (Rank 5 and Rank 6) between them.

4. Positions of H and G:
The remaining available ranks are Rank 5 (Director) and Rank 6 (Senior Manager).
Since G ranks junior to H, H must be at Rank 5 (Director) and G must be at Rank 6 (Senior Manager).
This satisfies the condition that H does not hold the rank of CEO (H is Director).

Final Seating Arrangement:

1. CEO: E
2. COO: C
3. VP: D
4. SD: A
5. Dir: H
6. SM: G
7. Mgr: B
8. Off: F

Conclusion:

C holds the rank of COO (Rank 2) and the Manager is B (Rank 7).
The ranks separating C and the Manager are VP (3), SD (4), Dir (5), and SM (6), which totals 4 ranks.
Since 4 is greater than 3, the number of ranks separating C and the Manager is More than three.