Reasoning : Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability

Q 323 / 325

UPSC CSE Prelims 2011

A, B, C, D and E are members of the same family. There are two fathers, two sons, two wives, three males and two females. The teacher was the wife of a lawyer who was the son of a doctor. E is not a male, neither also a wife of a professional. C is the youngest person in the family and D is the eldest. B is a male.
How is D related to E?

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (1)

The problem states there are five family members (A, B, C, D, E) with specific gender and relational constraints:

  • There are three males and two females among the five members.
  • The presence of "two fathers, two sons, and two wives" indicates a three-generation family structure with two married couples.
  • D is identified as the eldest member, and C is the youngest. B is explicitly stated as a male.
  • The professional relationships are defined: The Teacher is the wife of a Lawyer, who is the son of a Doctor. This establishes a three-generation male lineage: Doctor (Generation 1) → Lawyer (Generation 2) → Son of Lawyer (Generation 3).

Based on these clues, the family structure can be systematically deduced:

  1. Given D is the eldest, D must be the Doctor (the Generation 1 male).
  2. Given C is the youngest, C must be the Son of the Lawyer (the Generation 3 male).
  3. B is a male. The remaining male role in the professional lineage is the Lawyer (the Generation 2 male). Therefore, B is the Lawyer, and he is the son of D.
  4. The three males are D (Doctor), B (Lawyer), and C (Son of Lawyer).
  5. The two females are A and E. Since there are two wives in the family, A and E must be these two wives.
  6. The statement "E is not a male, neither also a wife of a professional" implies two things: E is female, and E is not the Teacher (who is the wife of the Lawyer, a professional). If E were the Teacher, she would be a wife of a professional.
  7. Consequently, A must be the Teacher, who is the wife of B (the Lawyer).
  8. Since E is the other female and must be a wife, E must be the wife of D (the Doctor).

The established family structure is:

  • D (Doctor) is married to E.
  • B (Lawyer) is the son of D and E.
  • A (Teacher) is married to B.
  • C is the son of B and A.

From this structure, D is the husband of E.

Incorrect Options:

  • Option 2 (Son): D is the eldest member and E is his wife, placing them in the same generation. Therefore, D cannot be E's son.

  • Option 3 (Father): D is the father of B. However, E is D's wife, not his daughter, so D is not the father of E.

  • Option 4 (Wife): D is identified as a male (the Doctor, and one of the two fathers and three males). E is a female and D's wife. Therefore, D cannot be E's wife.

Explanation figure for the question: A, B, C, D and E are members of the same family. There are two fathers, two sons, two wiv…