Pointing to a man in a photograph, Asha said, "His mother's only daughter is my mother." How is Asha related to that man?

Introduction / Context:

This blood-relation question uses a photograph scenario and a statement made by Asha to relate herself to the man in the picture. The phrase “His mother's only daughter is my mother” is the crucial piece of information. We need to decode it carefully and then state Asha's relationship to the man.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Asha is pointing to a man in a photograph.
• She says: “His mother's only daughter is my mother.”
• The man in the photo is male.
• We assume straightforward family relations without step-relations.
• We must express the relationship from Asha's point of view.

Concept / Approach:

We first interpret “his mother's only daughter” and then link that to Asha. If that only daughter is Asha's mother, we can find the generational relationship between the man and Asha. The key is recognising that both the man and Asha are children of the same woman or of siblings, and then determining who is the uncle or niece.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

We can rewrite the statement substituting labels: “His mother's only daughter (my mother) is the sister of the man, and I am her child.” This describes exactly the situation where the man is the woman's brother and the woman is the child's mother, which by definition makes the child (Asha) the man's niece.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

“Nephew” is a male term and would be used if Asha were male. The question identifies her as Asha, typically interpreted as a female name, and we answer from her perspective.

“Sister” would mean Asha and the man share the same parents, but the chain shows that her mother is his mother's daughter, putting another generation in between.

“Wife” would require a marital relationship, which is not supported by any part of the description.

Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes incorrectly assume that “his mother's only daughter” must be the man himself, but he is clearly identified as a male. That daughter is instead his sister, who is also Asha's mother. Being careful about gender words like “daughter” and “son” is essential to avoid such errors.

Final Answer:

Asha is the man's niece.