There
are two types of questions based on blood relations that are given in different
competitive examinations. For the sake of convenience we will refer to the two
types of questions as Type I and Type II. (Please note that the questions on
blood relationships are not categorised as above in the actual exam papers. It
is being done purely from the point of better understanding).
In
the exams, the success of a candidate in the questions on blood relations
depends upon his knowledge about various blood relations. Some of the
relationships given below help in solving the problems.
The
easiest and non – confusing way to solve these types of problems would be to
draw a family tree diagram and increase the levels in the hierarchy as shown
below :
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1st stage :
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 GRANDPARENTS
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(Grandfather, Grandmother, Granduncle, Grandaunt)
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2nd stage
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PARENTS & IN – LAWS
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(Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunt, Father-in- law,
Mother-in- law)
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3rd stage :
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SIBLINGS, SPOUSE & IN – LAWS
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(Brother, Sister, Cousin, Wife, Husband, Brother-in-
law, Sister-in- law)
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4th stage :
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CHILDREN & IN – LAWS
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(Son, Daughter, Niece, Nephew, Son-in- law,
Daughter-in- law)
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5th stage :
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GRANDCHILDREN
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(Grandson, Granddaughter)
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Mother's or Father's son : Brother
Mother's or Father's daughter : Sister
Mother's or Father's brother :
Uncle
Mother's or Father's sister : Aunt
Mother's or Father's mother :
Grandmother
Mother's or Father's father :
Grandfather
Grandmother's brother :
Granduncle
Grandmother's sister : Grandaunt
Grandfather's brother : Granduncle
Grandfather's sister :
Grandaunt
Sister's or Brother's son : Nephew
Sister's or Brother's daughter :
Niece
Uncle's or Aunt's son or daughter :
Cousin
Son's wife :
Daughter-in- law
Daughter's husband : Son-in-
law
Husband's or Wife's sister : Sister-in-
law
Husband's or Wife's brother :
Brother-in- law
Sister's husband :
Brother-in- law
Brother's wife : Sister-in-
law
Children of same parents :
Siblings (could be all brothers,
all sisters or some brothers and
some sisters) Children : Son,
Daughter
Children's Children : Grandchildren
(Grandson,
Granddaughter)
In
addition, remember the word spouse which means either husband or wife.
Grandfather
and grandmother will come in the first stage; mother, father, uncle and aunt
will come in the second stage; sister, brother and cousin will come at the
third stage; son, daughter, niece and nephew will come in the fourth stage and
finally, granddaughters and grandsons will come. The above stages are made from
the point of view of an individual.
In
Type – I questions, the relationship between two people is given through a
roundabout way of relating them through other people. We have to go through the
series of relationships and finally determine the relationship between the two
people given in the question. The relationship can be given as a simple
statement or as a statement made by a person. In the first example given below,
a person is involved in making a statement whereas in the second question,
there is no person involved in making a statement.
Worked out examples :
Example 1.
A's father's mother-in- law's only daughter's son is B.
How is A related to B?
(a) Brother
(b) Sister
(c) Nephew
(d) Cannot be determined
Solution.
A's father's mother-in- law's only daughter is A's
mother.
A's mother's son is A's brother.
But A can be either brother or sister to B. .
Choice (d)
Example 2.
If A's father is B, C is the father of B and D is A's
mother, then How is C related to D?
(a) Father
(b) Grandfather
(c) Father-in- law
(d) Uncle
Solution.
A's father is B and mother is D. Therefore D is B's wife
and C is the father of B. Hence C is D's father-in- law.
Choice
(c)
Example 3.
A + B means A is the son of B.
A – B means A is the daughter of B. .
A X B means A is the father of B.
A ÷ B means A is the mother of B.
If M x N + O – P + Q, then how is M related to Q?
(a) Husband
(b) Cousin
(c) Brother-in- law
(d) Uncle
Solution.
M x N + O – P ÷ Q means
M is the father of N, N is the son of O, O is the daughter of P, P is the
mother of Q. .
M is the father of N and N is the son of O means M is the
husband of O.
O is
the daughter of P and P is the mother of Q means O is the sister of Q.
M is the husband of O and O is the sister of Q means M is
the brother-in- law of Q.
Choice
(c)
Example 4.
A + B means A is the son of B.
A – B means A is the daughter of B.
A x B means A is the father of B.
A ÷ B means A is the mother of B.
Which of the following means S is the son-in- law of P?
(a) P + Q ÷ R × S
– T
(b) PxQh – R – S +
T
(c) P+QxR – S÷T
(d) PxQ – R÷SxT
Solution.
P +
Q ÷ R x S – T means P is the son of Q. Q is the mother of R, R is the father of
S and S is the daughter of T. Hence S is the neice of P.
P x
Q ÷ R – S +T means P is the father of Q, Q is the mother of R, R is the
daughter of S and S is the son of T. Hence S is the son-in- law of P.
P +
Q x R – S÷T means P is the son of Q, Q is the father of R, R is the daughter of
S and S is the mother of T. Hence S is the mother of P.
P × Q – R ÷ S × T means P is the father of Q,
Q is the daughter of R, R is the mother of S and S is the father of T. Hence S
is the son of P.
Choice (b)
Example 5.
Pointing
to a person, Raju said, "He is the only brother of my father's mother's
daughter." How is the person related to Raju?.
(a) Brother
(b) Father
(c) Uncle
(d) Nephew
Solution.
Raju's
father's mother's daughter is Raju's father's sister. Raju's father's sister's
only brother is Raju's father. Hence the person is Raju's father.
Choice
(b)
Example 6.
A's
mother's father is the husband of B's mother. How is A related to B, if both A
and B are males. .
(a) Uncle
(b) Father
(c) Nephew
(d) Son
Solution.
A's
mother's father is the husband of B's mother. That means A's mother is the
sister of B. Hence A is the nephew of B. .
Choice
(c)
