Blood Relations, Rankings, Seating & Directions

Problem: "A, B, C, and D each have different amounts of money. C has more than D but less than A. Who has the highest amount?"

1. C > D (C has more than D); A > C (C has less than A).
2. Chain: A > C > D.
3. B is not mentioned in any comparison.
4. We cannot determine the highest — B might be higher than A.

Answer: None of these (cannot be determined without information about B).

Problem: "P, Q, R, S, T sit in a row. Q and R sit in the centre. P and T are at the ends. S sits to the left of R."

1. Draw 5 seats: _ _ _ _ _.
2. Q and R in centre positions (seats 2–3 or 3–4).
3. P and T at the ends (seats 1 and 5).
4. S left of R. If R = seat 3 → S = seat 2 → Q = seat 4.

Result: P / S / R / Q / T.

Problem: "If North-East becomes North, North-West becomes West, what will West become?"

1. NE → N: NE moved 45° counter-clockwise.
2. NW → W: NW moved 45° counter-clockwise. ✓ Consistent.
3. Apply 45° CCW to West → South-West (SW).

Answer: South-West.

Note: The FPSC key listed NE — this appears to be a published error.

Problem: "A is the mother of B. B is the sister of C. D is the son of C. How is A related to D?"

1. A is B's mother → A is one generation above B.
2. B is C's sister → B and C are siblings (same generation). Therefore A is also C's mother.
3. D is C's son → D is one generation below C.

A is C's mother. D is C's son. Therefore A is D's grandmother.

Problem: P, Q, R, S have different heights. R is taller than S but shorter than P. Who is the tallest? (A) P (B) Q (C) R (D) Cannot be determined.

1. R > S (R taller than S); P > R (R shorter than P). Chain: P > R > S.
2. Q has no stated relationship to P, R, or S — Q might be taller than P or shorter than S.
3. Cannot determine the tallest.

Answer: D — Cannot be determined.

Trap: P is the tallest person we know about — but Q might be taller. Never assume the highest known is the absolute highest when there is an unplaced person.

Problem: A, B, C, D, E sit in a row. B sits to the immediate right of A. D sits at one end. C sits between E and B. E is not at any end. Who sits in the middle?

1. Draw five blank seats: _ _ _ _ _.
2. D at one end → D _ _ _ _.
3. E not at an end → seat 2, 3, or 4.
4. C between E and B → order E-C-B or B-C-E.
5. B immediately right of A → A-B.
6. Try B-C-E block: A-B-C-E. D at right end → A-B-C-E-D. E is in seat 4 (not an end). ✓

Final arrangement: A B C E D → Middle seat = C.

Problem: Ayesha starts facing North. Walks 4 km, turns right, walks 3 km, then turns right again. What direction is she now facing, and how far from start?

1. Facing North. Walks 4 km North.
2. Turn right (North → East). Walks 3 km East.
3. Turn right again (East → South). Now facing South.
4. Distance: 4 km North + 3 km East → √(4² + 3²) = √25 = 5 km.

Answer: Facing South, 5 km from start.

Problem: At 7:00 AM, Ali is standing facing his shadow. Which direction is he facing?

1. At 7:00 AM the Sun is in the East (just risen).
2. Shadows fall opposite to the Sun → Sun in East → shadow falls West.
3. Ali faces his shadow → Ali faces West.

Answer: West.

Problem: Pointing to a photograph, a woman says, "He is the son of my father's only son." What is the woman's relation to the person in the photograph?

1. "My father's only son" = the woman's brother (she is a daughter, not a son).
2. "Son of my brother" = her nephew.
3. The woman is the nephew's aunt.

Trap: Students say "father's only son" means the woman herself. But a woman is a daughter, not a son.

Problem (CSS MPT 2023 Special Q107): A, B, C, D each have different amounts of money. C has more money than D but less than A. Who has the highest amount?

1. A > C; C > D. Chain: A > C > D.
2. B is not mentioned anywhere — B could be richer than A or poorer than D.
3. We cannot determine whether A or B has the highest amount.

Answer: D — None of these (cannot be determined).