Question 1

A and B are a married couple. X and Y are brothers, and X is the brother of A. How is Y related to B?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:In-law relationships are created through marriage. If A and B are married and X is A’s brother, then X is B’s brother-in-law. If Y is also X’s brother (i.e., Y is another brother of A), then Y likewise becomes B’s brother-in-law. The puzzle checks your ability to propagate the in-law link across siblings. Given Data / Assumptions: A and B are married. X and Y are brothers. X is the brother of A → Y is also a brother of A (since X and Y are siblings). Standard definitions: sibling of your spouse is your brother-/sister-in-law. Concept / Approach:From marriage A–B, any sibling of A becomes an in-law to B. Since both X and Y are brothers of A, each is B’s brother-in-law. We do not need the genders of A and B explicitly; the “brother-in-law” label refers to the brothers of one’s spouse. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) A is married to B.2) X is A’s brother; Y is X’s brother, hence also A’s brother.3) Therefore Y is a brother of B’s spouse (A) → Y is B’s brother-in-law. Verification / Alternative check:No alternative fit is needed, because the role “brother-in-law” captures the relation of a spouse’s brother precisely. Options like “cousin” or “uncle” would require additional generational or parental details not present here. Why Other Options Are Wrong: brother: That would require Y to share parents with B, not stated. cousin: Lateral relation, not formed by the A–B marriage. uncle: Would require Y to be the sibling of one of B’s parents. None of these: Not needed; “Brother-in-law” fits exactly. Common Pitfalls: Forgetting that multiple siblings on one side of a marriage all become in-laws to the spouse. Assuming genders of A or B change the in-law label; they do not in this context. Final Answer: Brother-in-law

Question 2

In a joint family there are: father, mother, three married sons, and one unmarried daughter. Of the three sons, two have 2 daughters each, and one has a son. How many female members are there in the family (counting blood relations only)?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:Family-count questions often test careful reading of who is included and whether in-laws are counted. Here, the phrase “three married sons” can tempt you to include daughters-in-law, but many exam conventions count only blood relatives unless explicitly asked otherwise. We will compute both ways and then select the option consistent with typical reasoning-test conventions. Given Data / Assumptions: Top generation: father (male), mother (female). Three sons (all married), plus one unmarried daughter (female). Grandchildren: two sons each have 2 daughters (total 4 girls); the remaining son has 1 son (male). Unless explicitly stated, count blood relations only (exclude daughters-in-law), a common convention in such questions. Concept / Approach:Compute female members by category and apply the “blood only” interpretation. The daughters-in-law exist (since sons are married) but are not counted unless the problem asks to include spouses/in-laws explicitly. We will list both counts for clarity and pick the one that matches the options. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) Female elders: mother = 1.2) Unmarried daughter = 1 (female).3) Granddaughters: 2 sons × 2 daughters each = 4 (female).4) Summing blood-related females only: 1 (mother) + 1 (unmarried daughter) + 4 (granddaughters) = 6 females.5) If one included daughters-in-law (not asked), add 3 more females, giving 9; however, 9 is not in the options, reinforcing that the intended convention is “blood relations only.” Verification / Alternative check:The sons are male; the father and the lone grandson are also male. There is no hidden female specified beyond the listed categories. The computed 6 aligns with standard exam expectations and the provided options. Why Other Options Are Wrong: 2 / 3: Far too low; ignores multiple females explicitly mentioned. 7: Would require counting one more blood-related female that is not present, or mixing counting rules inconsistently. None of these: Not needed since 6 matches and is consistent with standard conventions. Common Pitfalls: Including daughters-in-law when the question implicitly counts blood relations only. Forgetting to multiply the granddaughters correctly (two sons produce four girls in total). Final Answer: 6

Question 3

P’s father Q is B’s paternal uncle, and A’s husband M is P’s paternal uncle. How is A related to B?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:Multiple “paternal uncle” links can look confusing, but they usually place several adults as siblings in one generation. Once you place Q and M correctly with respect to P and B, the relation of A (spouse of M) to B becomes clear. Given Data / Assumptions: P’s father is Q. Q is B’s paternal uncle → Q is the brother of B’s father (so Q and B’s father are siblings). M is P’s paternal uncle → M is the brother of P’s father (i.e., brother of Q). Hence M, Q, and B’s father are all in the same sibling set. A is the wife of M (A’s husband is M). Concept / Approach:First, construct the sibling set: {B’s father, Q, M}. From “Q is B’s paternal uncle,” B’s father is one sibling; from “M is P’s paternal uncle,” M is another sibling alongside Q. Therefore, M is B’s paternal uncle as well (brother of B’s father). Since A is M’s wife, A is B’s paternal aunt by marriage. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) Q and B’s father are brothers (Q is B’s paternal uncle).2) M is brother of Q (paternal uncle of P), thus also brother of B’s father.3) Therefore, M is B’s paternal uncle; A, being M’s wife, is B’s aunt (by marriage). Verification / Alternative check:Could A be B’s mother? That would require A to be married to B’s father, but A is married to M (who is B’s father’s brother). “Cousin” does not fit a cross-generational in-law tie. No ambiguity remains. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Cousin: Wrong generation and path. Mother: Would require A married to B’s father, not true. Data inadequate: The data fixes a unique configuration. Common Pitfalls: Forgetting that multiple “paternal uncle” statements often imply a sibling trio. Mixing up “paternal aunt” (by marriage) with blood-aunt; both are “aunt” in these puzzles. Final Answer: Aunt

Question 4

A is the father of X. B is the mother of Y. The sister of X and Z is Y (i.e., Y is the sister of both X and Z). Which statement is definitely true?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:“Definitely true” questions test whether you can distinguish what is guaranteed from what is merely possible. The statements intentionally leave some parental links unspecified. You must not assume missing links (like both parents being the same) unless stated. We will analyze each option under all legal configurations and select the one that holds in every case. Given Data / Assumptions: A is father of X (A → father → X). B is mother of Y (B → mother → Y). Y is the sister of both X and Z (so Y is female and is a sibling of X and Z). Nothing explicitly states that X and Y share both parents, only that they are siblings (sharing at least one parent). Concept / Approach:Mark certainties: Y is female (called “sister”), and B is the mother of Y. Hence B has at least one daughter: Y. That is a universal truth across all scenarios. Other options require assumptions about who the common parent(s) are for X, Y, Z, which the stem does not fix. Step-by-Step Solution: Option (a) “B is the mother of Z.” Not guaranteed. Y is Z’s sister, but siblings can share only one parent; Z could share the father side, not necessarily B as mother.Option (b) “X is the sister of Z.” X’s gender is unknown; X could be male. Not definitely true.Option (c) “Y is the son of A.” Contradicts “Y is the sister …,” which marks Y as female. Definitely false.Option (d) “B has one daughter.” Guaranteed minimal truth: B is mother of Y, and Y is explicitly female. Even if B has additional daughters, the statement “has one daughter” can be read as “has at least one daughter” in many test conventions. Interpreted strictly as “exactly one,” it would be unsafe; however, standard verbal-reasoning keys intend the definite takeaway that B is confirmed to be the mother of a daughter (Y). Among the given options, this is the only universally valid inference.Option (e) “None of these.” Not correct because (d) captures the definite fact implied by the stem. Verification / Alternative check:Construct edge cases: If X and Y share father A but different mothers, B remains the mother of Y alone—still B has a daughter. If all three share both parents A and B, B still has a daughter. Hence (d) persists universally. Why Other Options Are Wrong: (a) Depends on whether Z's mother is B; not specified. (b) Requires X to be female; not stated. (c) Conflicts with Y being female. Common Pitfalls: Assuming all siblings share both parents when the problem never states this. Ignoring explicit gender markers like “sister.” Final Answer: B has one daughter

Question 5

Blood relations at a party: Anil introduces a young woman and says, “She is the wife of the grandson of my mother.” Based on standard family terms (assuming Anil is male), determine how Anil is related to the young woman.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This is a classic blood-relation puzzle where a speaker describes a relative using a chain like “wife of the grandson of my mother.” We must translate the chain into direct kinship with the speaker (Anil) using unambiguous definitions of mother, son, grandson, and in-law relations. Given Data / Assumptions: Anil is the speaker and is male (standard interpretation in such problems unless stated otherwise). “My mother’s grandson” means a male who is a child of one of Anil’s mother’s children. The young woman is described as the wife of that grandson. Standard, patrilineal/matrilineal terms and the usual meaning of “in-law” apply. Concept / Approach:Break the chain from the rightmost noun back to the speaker. Determine who “my mother’s grandson” could be (relative to Anil) and then attach “wife of …” on top. Evaluate all possibilities and pick the closest, standard relationship name between Anil and the described woman. Step-by-Step Solution:1) Identify “my mother’s grandson.” Anil’s mother’s children are Anil and his siblings (if any). The grandson of Anil’s mother is therefore either Anil’s son (if Anil has a son) or Anil’s sibling’s son (Anil’s nephew).2) Attach “wife of the grandson.” If the grandson is Anil’s son, then that wife is Anil’s daughter-in-law. If the grandson is Anil’s nephew, then the woman would be Anil’s nephew’s wife (niece-in-law), which is a more distant, non-standard answer set for typical MCQs.3) Standard MCQ convention resolves such ambiguity to the nearer, canonical relation: the intended answer is usually “daughter-in-law,” which from Anil’s perspective makes Anil the “father-in-law.” Verification / Alternative check:Suppose Anil has exactly one son who married this woman. Then the woman is unequivocally Anil’s daughter-in-law, and Anil is her father-in-law. If instead the grandson is the child of Anil’s sibling, the woman would be a niece-in-law—an option not provided here, reinforcing the intended standard answer. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Father / Grandfather: These describe Anil’s relationship to a child or grandchild, not to the son’s spouse. Husband: Would mean Anil is married to the woman, which contradicts the statement. None of these: Not needed because “Father-in-law” precisely fits. Common Pitfalls:Mistaking “my mother’s grandson” for “my grandson,” or overlooking the “wife of …” part. Also, some solvers forget standard test convention prefers the closest, common relation term. Final Answer:Father-in-law

Question 6

Blood relations: A man said to a woman, “Your mother’s husband’s sister is my aunt.” Determine how the woman is related to the man.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This problem uses a chain description to connect two people. We will decode “your mother’s husband’s sister” and equate it to “my aunt,” then infer the woman’s relationship to the man. Given Data / Assumptions: “Your mother’s husband” = your father. “Your mother’s husband’s sister” = your father’s sister (your paternal aunt). The man says this person “is my aunt.” All are blood relations unless otherwise noted; everyone is of typical age to make such relations meaningful. Concept / Approach:If the woman’s paternal aunt is the man’s aunt too, then the man’s parent is a sibling of that aunt. Since the aunt is the sister of the woman’s father, the man’s parent being her sibling implies the man’s parent is the woman’s father as well (or at least in the same sibling group). The clean, standard resolution for MCQs is that the man and woman share the same paternal aunt—hence they are siblings. Step-by-Step Solution:1) Convert: woman’s father’s sister = woman’s paternal aunt.2) The man says that same person is “my aunt” → she is the sister of the man’s parent.3) For the same aunt to be sister of the woman’s father and also the man’s aunt, the simplest, standard interpretation is that they share the same father → the two are siblings. Verification / Alternative check:Could they be cousins? Only if the aunt is sister to the man’s mother and also to the woman’s father, which would require the man’s mother and the woman’s father to be siblings. Then the woman and the man would be cousins. However, standard reasoning puzzles expect the nearest unambiguous relation under typical assumptions, and the sibling answer is the conventional key. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Daughter/Granddaughter: No generational gap indicated from the description. Aunt: Would require the woman to be older generation to the man; not implied here. None of these: Not needed since “Sister” fits common-test logic. Common Pitfalls:Mis-tracking “mother’s husband” (father) or assuming marital/aunt-by-marriage variations that the question does not indicate. Final Answer:Sister

Question 7

Family tree reasoning: Vinod is the brother of Bhaskar. Manohar is the sister of Vinod. Biswal is the brother of Preetam and Preetam is the daughter of Bhaskar. Who is the uncle of Biswal?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:The question presents a small kinship network: two siblings (Vinod and Bhaskar), another sibling (Manohar, female), and Bhaskar’s child Preetam with Preetam’s brother Biswal. We must identify Biswal’s uncle. Given Data / Assumptions: Vinod and Bhaskar are brothers (both male). Manohar is the sister of Vinod (hence also sibling of Bhaskar, and female). Preetam is the daughter of Bhaskar (so Bhaskar is Preetam’s father). Biswal is Preetam’s brother (so Biswal is also Bhaskar’s child). Concept / Approach:“Uncle” of Biswal means the brother of one of Biswal’s parents (or husband of an aunt). We have Bhaskar explicitly as father. The brother of Biswal’s father is Vinod, which directly makes Vinod Biswal’s paternal uncle. Step-by-Step Solution:1) Parentage: Bhaskar → children: Preetam (daughter), Biswal (son).2) Siblings of Bhaskar: Vinod (brother), Manohar (sister).3) Uncle of Biswal = Bhaskar’s brother = Vinod. Verification / Alternative check:No other male sibling besides Vinod is named. An uncle by marriage (husband of Manohar) is not given; we avoid unsupported assumptions. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Bhaskar: He is the father, not the uncle. Manohar: Female sibling → aunt, not uncle. Insufficient data: Data is sufficient to identify Vinod as the paternal uncle. Common Pitfalls:Confusing aunt/uncle based on gender or overcomplicating with missing spouses. Final Answer:Vinod

Question 8

Photograph puzzle: Pointing to a photograph, a man said, “I have no brother or sister, but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Whose photograph is it?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This is a standard kinship riddle that hinges on the clause “my father’s son,” combined with “I have no brother or sister.” We must identify the person in the photograph. Given Data / Assumptions: The speaker has no siblings. “That man’s father is my father’s son.” All terms are used in their usual, literal senses. Concept / Approach:With no siblings, “my father’s son” can only be the speaker himself. Therefore, “that man’s father is me.” Hence “that man” is the speaker’s son; the photograph is of his son. Step-by-Step Solution:1) Substitute: my father’s son = me (no siblings).2) Then: that man’s father = me → that man is my son.3) Photograph therefore shows the speaker’s son. Verification / Alternative check:If the speaker had a brother, “my father’s son” would be ambiguous (me or my brother). The explicit “no brother or sister” removes ambiguity. Why Other Options Are Wrong: His own / His father’s / His nephew’s: None matches the derived identity “my son.” None of these: Not needed; “His son’s” fits exactly. Common Pitfalls:Treating “my father’s son” as someone other than the speaker despite the “no siblings” constraint. Final Answer:His son's

Question 9

Introducing a man, a woman says: “His wife is the only daughter of my mother.” How is the woman related to the man?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We parse a single sentence to identify a direct, in-law relationship. The woman describes a man’s wife in terms of “the only daughter of my mother.” Given Data / Assumptions: “The only daughter of my mother” refers to the woman herself (she is her mother’s only daughter). The man’s wife equals that “only daughter.” Concept / Approach:Replace the phrase with the woman: “His wife is me.” Therefore, the woman is the man’s wife. Step-by-Step Solution:Identify the unique daughter: the speaker (woman).If his wife equals the unique daughter, then his wife is the speaker.Thus, the relation of the woman to the man is “wife.” Verification / Alternative check:No other interpretation fits “only daughter” without introducing extra, unstated siblings. Why Other Options Are Wrong:They imply different generations or collateral lines that are not supported by the statement. Common Pitfalls:Overthinking “only daughter” as someone else; it directly identifies the speaker. Final Answer:Wife

Question 10

A man points to a photograph: “The lady in the photograph is my nephew’s maternal grandmother.” The man has exactly one sister (no other sisters). How is the lady related to the man’s sister?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We must connect “nephew’s maternal grandmother” to the man’s immediate family. The detail “who has no other sister” means the man has exactly one sister, preventing ambiguity. Given Data / Assumptions: “Nephew” is the son of the man’s sibling. With only one sister, the nephew is the sister’s son (unless the brother has children, but the problem steers us to the simplest chain via the sister). “Maternal grandmother” of the nephew is the mother of the nephew’s mother. The nephew’s mother is the man’s sister. Concept / Approach:If the nephew is the sister’s child, then the nephew’s maternal grandmother is the sister’s mother—i.e., the man’s mother. Thus the lady is mother to the man’s sister. Step-by-Step Solution:Nephew = sister’s son.Maternal grandmother of nephew = mother of the sister.Therefore the lady is the mother of the man’s sister. Verification / Alternative check:If the nephew were a brother’s son, the maternal grandmother would be the brother’s wife’s mother, but the “only sister” clause and typical MCQ convention prefer the direct sister chain. Why Other Options Are Wrong:They indicate different collateral or in-law relations not supported by the primary reading. Common Pitfalls:Confusing maternal vs paternal grandparents. Final Answer:Mother

Question 11

Logic check on minimal information: A is the brother of B and also the brother of C. What is the minimum additional information required to determine the specific relation (brother or sister) between B and C? (i) Gender of C  (ii) Gender of B

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We know A is a brother of both B and C, so B and C are siblings. The question asks how much additional information suffices to describe the relation between B and C precisely as “brother” or “sister.” Given Data / Assumptions: A is male (brother), and sibling to both B and C. We do not know B’s or C’s genders. Relation labels (brother/sister) depend on the gender of the subject named first. Concept / Approach:Since B and C are siblings, to state “B is brother/sister of C,” we only need B’s gender. Likewise, to state “C is brother/sister of B,” we only need C’s gender. Hence either one of (i) or (ii) alone is sufficient. Step-by-Step Solution:If we know B is male → “B is brother of C.” If we know B is female → “B is sister of C.”Alternatively, knowing C’s gender suffices to express “C is brother/sister of B.” Verification / Alternative check:We do not need both genders simultaneously since either statement can be framed from either person’s gender alone. Why Other Options Are Wrong:Options “Only (i)” and “Only (ii)” each ignore that the other single piece is also sufficient. “Both” overstates the requirement. “None” is incorrect because one of them is indeed sufficient. Common Pitfalls:Thinking both genders are needed; they are not if you are content to phrase the relation from the known-gender person’s perspective. Final Answer:Either (i) or (ii)

Question 12

Pointing to a girl, Abhishek says: “She is the daughter of the only child of my father.” How is Abhishek’s wife related to that girl?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This relation chain reduces to a parent-child pair when we resolve “only child of my father.” We then ask for the kinship of Abhishek’s wife to the identified girl. Given Data / Assumptions: “Only child of my father” = Abhishek himself (he has no siblings). The girl is the daughter of Abhishek. Abhishek is married (has a wife). Concept / Approach:If the girl is Abhishek’s daughter, then Abhishek’s wife is the girl’s mother (biological or social mother in standard MCQ interpretation). Step-by-Step Solution:Replace “only child of my father” with Abhishek → “She is the daughter of Abhishek.”Therefore Abhishek’s wife is the mother of the girl. Verification / Alternative check:Any alternate reading (e.g., adoption complexities) is outside scope; MCQs use straightforward definitions. Why Other Options Are Wrong:They represent other family roles (aunt, sister, daughter) that do not fit a child’s relation to her parents. Common Pitfalls:Misreading “only child” as “only grandchild” or swapping generations. Final Answer:Mother

Question 13

Symbolic relations: If P $ Q means “P is father of Q,” P # Q means “P is mother of Q,” and P * Q means “P is sister of Q,” then in N # L $ P * Q, how is Q related to N?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This item uses a custom symbol code. We must expand each link and infer Q’s relation to N. Gender-sensitive terms like grandson/granddaughter require knowing Q’s gender. Given Data / Assumptions: $ → “is father of”; # → “is mother of”; * → “is sister of”. Expression: N # L $ P * Q. Concept / Approach:Expand left to right: N # L means N is mother of L. L $ P means L is father of P (so P is child of L). P * Q means P is sister of Q → P and Q share at least one parent, and P is female; Q’s gender is not specified. Step-by-Step Solution:1) N is mother of L.2) L is father of P → P is a child of L.3) P is sister of Q → Q is a child of L as well (sibling of P), but Q’s gender is unknown.4) Therefore N (mother of L) is grandparent of Q. Without Q’s gender we cannot choose “grandson” vs “granddaughter.” Verification / Alternative check:No portion of the code determines Q’s gender. Hence the specific male/female grandchild term cannot be fixed. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Grandson / Granddaughter: Each assumes a gender we do not know. Nephew: Would make Q sibling’s child of P, which contradicts P * Q (they are siblings themselves). Common Pitfalls:Assuming Q’s gender from P’s female status; sibling’s gender is independent. Final Answer:Data inadequate

Question 14

Pointing to Kedar, Veena says: “His mother’s brother is the father of my son Nitin.” How is Kedar related to Veena?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We track a chain involving Kedar’s mother’s brother and Veena’s son’s father to determine Kedar’s relation to Veena. Given Data / Assumptions: Kedar’s mother’s brother = Kedar’s maternal uncle. That person is the father of Veena’s son (Nitin) → that man is Veena’s husband. Concept / Approach:If Veena is married to Kedar’s maternal uncle, then Veena is Kedar’s aunt (by marriage). The question asks how Kedar is related to Veena → Kedar is Veena’s nephew (male child of her sibling-in-law). Step-by-Step Solution:Maternal uncle of Kedar = Veena’s husband.Therefore, Veena is aunt (by marriage) to Kedar.Hence Kedar is Veena’s nephew. Verification / Alternative check:No other roles are consistent without extra assumptions. Why Other Options Are Wrong:They name female roles (niece, sister-in-law) or the opposite direction (“aunt”) rather than Kedar’s relation to Veena. Common Pitfalls:Accidentally answering with Veena’s relation to Kedar instead of Kedar’s relation to Veena. Final Answer:Nephew

Question 15

Symbolic family code: ‘P $ Q’ = P is brother of Q; ‘P # Q’ = P is mother of Q; ‘P * Q’ = P is daughter of Q. In “A # B $ C * D”, who is the father?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We must decode a compact kinship expression with three operators and identify which person must be the father in the family described. Given Data / Assumptions: $ → brother of; # → mother of; * → daughter of. Expression: A # B $ C * D. Concept / Approach:Expand the relations: A is mother of B; B is brother of C; C is daughter of D. From this, deduce parentage and identify the father. Step-by-Step Solution:1) A # B → A is mother of B.2) B $ C → B is brother of C → B and C share at least one parent; A is mother of B ⇒ A is also mother of C (standard MCQ assumption).3) C * D → C is daughter of D → D is a parent of C (gender not specified yet by this operator alone).4) Since A is explicitly the mother, the other parent D must be the father. Verification / Alternative check:“Brother of” only constrains gender and siblinghood, not parentage direction beyond sharing a parent with C—consistent with A as mother and D as the remaining parent (father). Why Other Options Are Wrong:B and C do not have parent roles here; “Data inadequate” is incorrect because the father is uniquely identifiable. Common Pitfalls:Assuming “daughter of D” means D is necessarily mother; it only signals parentage, and with A fixed as mother, D becomes father by elimination. Final Answer:D

Question 16

Pointing to a boy, Meena says: “He is the son of my grandfather’s only son.” How is the boy’s mother related to Meena?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We translate “my grandfather’s only son” and then determine the relationship between the boy’s mother and Meena. Given Data / Assumptions: “My grandfather’s only son” = Meena’s father (only male child of her grandfather). The boy is the son of Meena’s father. Concept / Approach:If the boy is Meena’s father’s son, the boy is Meena’s brother (or possibly Meena herself if gender matched, but the statement says “boy”). The boy’s mother is Meena’s mother. Step-by-Step Solution:Grandfather’s only son → father.Boy = son of father → boy is Meena’s brother.Therefore boy’s mother = Meena’s mother. Verification / Alternative check:No step requires extra assumptions; “only son” removes ambiguity about which parent. Why Other Options Are Wrong:Aunt/sister do not fit the mother of Meena’s brother; “data inadequate” is unnecessary. Common Pitfalls:Misplacing “only son” as applying to the wrong generation. Final Answer:Mother

Question 17

Family relations — interpret the description and identify the relation to Deepak Deepak said to Nitin: “That boy playing with the football is the younger of the two brothers of the daughter of my father's wife.” How is the boy who is playing footbal…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This verbal reasoning item tests careful parsing of layered kinship phrases (father's wife, daughter, brothers) and translating them into a clear family relationship with respect to the speaker, Deepak. Given Data / Assumptions: Speaker: Deepak. Phrase: “my father's wife.” The daughter of that woman has “two brothers,” and the boy in question is the younger of those two brothers. Standard assumption in such problems: “my father's wife” is Deepak’s mother (no step-relations implied unless stated). Concept / Approach:Break the sentence into atomic relations and substitute step by step. In kinship puzzles, nested noun phrases often point back to the speaker’s immediate family unless explicitly stated otherwise. Step-by-Step Solution:1) “My father's wife” ⇒ Deepak’s mother.2) “The daughter of my father's wife” ⇒ the daughter of Deepak’s mother ⇒ Deepak’s sister.3) “Two brothers of the daughter” ⇒ the brothers of Deepak’s sister. Siblings of Deepak’s sister are the speaker (Deepak) and any of his brothers.4) “The younger of the two brothers” ⇒ among the two male siblings in that sibling-set, pick the younger male child. That person is one of Deepak’s brothers (it could be Deepak himself if he is younger than his other brother, or it could be the other brother if Deepak is older). In either case, the relation to Deepak is still “brother.” Verification / Alternative check:Construct a minimal family: Parents (Father–Mother), children: Sister S, and two sons B1 and B2. From S’s perspective, her “two brothers” are {B1, B2}. The referenced boy is the younger among {B1, B2}. Relative to Deepak (who is one of B1/B2), the referenced boy is necessarily his brother. Why Other Options Are Wrong:“Son”: would require Deepak to be the boy’s parent, not supported by the wording. “Cousin”: would require switching to an aunt/uncle branch; the sentence stays within the nuclear family. “Nephew”: would require the boy to be a child of Deepak’s sibling; the text states the boy himself is among the daughter’s (sister’s) brothers, i.e., a sibling. Common Pitfalls:Confusing “my father's wife” with a step-mother (not indicated), or misreading “brothers of the daughter” as “sons of the daughter.” Also, some solvers try to deduce which specific brother it is (younger vs older). That detail is unnecessary for the asked relation; either way, the relation to Deepak remains “brother.” Final Answer:Brother

Question 18

Data sufficiency — Is F the granddaughter of B? Two statements are given: A. B is father of M. M is the sister of T. T is the mother of F. B. S is the son of F. V is the daughter of F. R is the brother of T. Using the above, determine whether F is t…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This is a classic data-sufficiency problem on blood relations. We must decide whether the given statements provide enough information to conclude that F is the granddaughter of B without actually proving genders or full family trees beyond what is guaranteed by the statements. Given Data / Assumptions: Statement A: B is father of M; M is sister of T; T is mother of F. Statement B: S is son of F; V is daughter of F; R is brother of T. Granddaughter condition means: (1) F is female; (2) B is a grandparent of F. Concept / Approach:For sufficiency, each statement (alone or combined) must conclusively establish both that B is a grandparent of F and that F is female. If either part can remain ambiguous under any consistent interpretation, sufficiency fails. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) From A: B is father of M. M is sister of T (M and T share at least one parent). T is mother of F (T is female, parent of F).2) Does A guarantee B is also parent of T? No. M and T could be maternal half-siblings (sharing only their mother). A never says B is father of T. Hence, even though T is mother of F, we cannot confirm B is F’s grandparent.3) Does A ensure F is female? Yes, because T is the mother of F; F’s gender is still unspecified here (child of T), but “granddaughter” specifically requires F to be female. A alone does not assert F’s gender.4) From B: We learn about F’s children (S, V) and that R is T’s brother. B does not connect B (the person) to T or F, and says nothing about B’s relation to anyone here. It also does not specify F’s gender explicitly (parents can be any gender).5) Combine A and B: We still cannot force that B is a grandparent of F because T might not be B’s child. The possibility that M and T are half-siblings through their mother only remains open. Thus, even together, the data do not compel the required grandparent link. Verification / Alternative check:Construct two valid families: one where B is also T’s father (then F is B’s granddaughter) and another where B is only M’s father and T has a different father (then F is not B’s granddaughter). Both satisfy A and B, proving insufficiency. Why Other Options Are Wrong: A alone: F’s gender and the grandparent link are not guaranteed. B alone: No connection to B (the person) is established; entirely insufficient. Either A or B: As above, neither is sufficient alone. Both A and B together: Still ambiguous because T may not be B’s child. Common Pitfalls:Assuming siblings in A must share both parents; assuming motherhood of T implies B is the other grandparent; reading gender into F from B’s children list. Final Answer:Both A and B are not sufficient.

Question 19

Data sufficiency — How is A related to B? Three statements are given: A. P, the only son of A, has two sisters. B. A's son is the brother of the only sister of B. C. B and P are children of A. Determine which statements are sufficient to conclude A'…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:This data-sufficiency item asks us to determine A’s relation to B. We only need to know which statements are sufficient; we do not need the full family tree if sufficiency can be established directly. Given Data / Assumptions: A: A has a son P, and P has two sisters (so A has at least three children). B: A’s son is brother of B’s only sister (can be read as making A’s son a sibling of B, but this can be ambiguous regarding whether B is part of A’s family). C: B and P are children of A (explicitly puts B under A). Concept / Approach:We check each statement or combination to see whether A’s relationship to B (i.e., parent of B) is unequivocally determined. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) Statement C alone: It directly states B and P are children of A. Hence A is the parent of B. Sufficiency achieved.2) Statement A alone: Tells us about A’s children but does not mention B. Insufficient.3) Statement B alone: “A’s son is the brother of the only sister of B.” This can still be compatible with cases where B is not A’s child (e.g., blended families). Hence, B alone is not airtight.4) A + C: Redundant, since C alone already suffices. Verification / Alternative check:Try building scenarios where B is not A’s child under A or B alone; these are possible. With C, however, B is explicitly A’s child, fixing the relationship. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Only A: No link to B. Either A or B: Neither alone ensures the link. Both A and C: Overkill; C alone suffices. A and B together: Still potentially ambiguous without C. Common Pitfalls:Over-interpreting B as proving full siblinghood within A’s family; ignoring that “brother of the only sister of B” can be some other boy, not necessarily sharing both parents. Final Answer:Only C is sufficient.

Question 20

Data sufficiency — How many daughters does W have? Statements: A. B and D are sisters of M. B. M's father T is the husband of W. C. Out of three children which T has, only one is a boy. Find which statements suffice to determine the number of W's da…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context:We must determine the exact number of daughters of W using standard family-relation logic and data sufficiency reasoning. Pay attention to how each statement contributes. Given Data / Assumptions: A: B and D are sisters of M (so B and D are female; all three are siblings). B: M’s father is T, and T is the husband of W (so W is M’s mother). C: T has exactly three children and only one is a boy. Concept / Approach:Translate the statements into counts. If T has three children and only one is a boy, then two are girls. Using A, identify which of B, D, M are girls and which could be the boy. Step-by-Step Solution: 1) From A: Among siblings {B, D, M}, B and D are female; M’s gender unspecified.2) From C: T has exactly three children, with only one boy.3) From B: W is the mother of M and spouse of T, so W and T share the same three children.4) Combine: Since B and D are already girls, the only possible boy among the three is M. Therefore, W (and T) have two daughters: B and D. Verification / Alternative check:If M were also a girl, there would be zero boys, contradicting C. If either B or D were not W’s child, B would be violated (which ties M to W) plus A would no longer align with C’s total count under the shared-parent assumption. Thus the two-daughter conclusion holds only when all three statements are used together. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Only A and C: Without B, we cannot link W to these children. Only B and C: The specific identity of the two girls (and count) is unclear without A. Only A and B: Lacks the crucial “one boy” constraint. Only C: Gives a ratio, not identities or link to W. Common Pitfalls:Assuming A alone ties children to W; forgetting that C is needed to fix genders; ignoring that B links W to the sibling group. Final Answer:All A, B and C.

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