Among schools A, B, C, and D, which school has the highest number of students? I. School A has fewer students than school D. II. School C has fewer students than school D.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Both statements together are NOT sufficient.

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
We need to identify the unique maximum among four schools given partial inequalities. DS focuses on whether D is necessarily the maximum or whether another school (e.g., B) could exceed D.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • I: A < D.
  • II: C < D.


Concept / Approach:
Combine inequalities and check if D must be strictly the largest, or if another candidate (e.g., B) can surpass D under the constraints.



Step-by-Step Solution:

1) I alone: Only A < D is known; B and C could be above or below D. Not sufficient.2) II alone: Only C < D is known; A and B unknown. Not sufficient.3) I + II: We have A < D and C < D. However, there is no information about B vs D. It is possible that B > D, making B the highest; or B < D, making D the highest. The top school is not uniquely determined.


Verification / Alternative check:
Scenarios: (a) Let counts be A=100, B=400, C=90, D=300 ⇒ highest=B. (b) A=100, B=250, C=90, D=300 ⇒ highest=D. Both satisfy I and II.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • A/B/C/E: None force uniqueness; combined data still allow multiple maxima.


Common Pitfalls:
Assuming transitivity where none exists (no relation given for B).



Final Answer:
Both statements together are NOT sufficient.

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