Pointing to a lady, a man said, "The son of her only brother is the brother of my wife." How is the lady related to the man?

Introduction / Context:

This blood-relation question links the family of a lady to the wife of the man who is speaking. The challenge is to interpret the phrase “the son of her only brother is the brother of my wife” and then deduce how the lady must be connected to the man. It especially tests understanding of in-law relationships like “sister of father-in-law”.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A man is speaking and pointing at a lady.
• He says: “The son of her only brother is the brother of my wife.”
• “Her only brother” means the lady has exactly one brother.
• The son of that brother is a male child (nephew of the lady).
• That son is also described as “the brother of my wife”.
• We assume standard family structure without adoptions unless mentioned.

Concept / Approach:

We move step by step: first identify the lady's only brother, then his son, and then connect that son to the man's wife. From there, we can locate where the lady fits with respect to the man's in-laws. Ultimately, we want a single kinship term describing how the lady and the man are related.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

We can restate: Lady L's brother B has two children: S and the man's wife W. S is W's brother, as the statement says. Because W is married to the man, B is W's father and thus the man's father-in-law. L, being B's sister, is therefore the sister of the man's father-in-law. This consistent family picture supports our conclusion.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

“Mother's sister” would make the lady an aunt of the man by blood, but the chain here runs through the wife's family, not the man's mother.

“Grandmother” is two generations above; nothing in the wording suggests the lady is a grandparent of anyone related to the man.

“Mother-in-law” would require the lady to be the mother of the man's wife, but we have already identified her as the sister of the wife's father, not his wife.

Common Pitfalls:

Examinees often misread “brother of my wife” as referring to the man's brother, confusing the direction of the “of” phrase. Carefully track whose brother is being discussed and draw a small diagram if necessary. Also remember that in-law relationships are defined around one's spouse, not around oneself directly.

Final Answer:

The lady is the sister of the man's father-in-law.