Data sufficiency — How many daughters does W have? Statements: A. B and D are sisters of M. B. M's father T is the husband of W. C. Out of three children which T has, only one is a boy. Find which statements suffice to determine the number of W's daughters.

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: All A, B and C

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
We must determine the exact number of daughters of W using standard family-relation logic and data sufficiency reasoning. Pay attention to how each statement contributes.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • A: B and D are sisters of M (so B and D are female; all three are siblings).
  • B: M’s father is T, and T is the husband of W (so W is M’s mother).
  • C: T has exactly three children and only one is a boy.


Concept / Approach:
Translate the statements into counts. If T has three children and only one is a boy, then two are girls. Using A, identify which of B, D, M are girls and which could be the boy.



Step-by-Step Solution:

1) From A: Among siblings {B, D, M}, B and D are female; M’s gender unspecified.2) From C: T has exactly three children, with only one boy.3) From B: W is the mother of M and spouse of T, so W and T share the same three children.4) Combine: Since B and D are already girls, the only possible boy among the three is M. Therefore, W (and T) have two daughters: B and D.


Verification / Alternative check:
If M were also a girl, there would be zero boys, contradicting C. If either B or D were not W’s child, B would be violated (which ties M to W) plus A would no longer align with C’s total count under the shared-parent assumption. Thus the two-daughter conclusion holds only when all three statements are used together.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Only A and C: Without B, we cannot link W to these children.
  • Only B and C: The specific identity of the two girls (and count) is unclear without A.
  • Only A and B: Lacks the crucial “one boy” constraint.
  • Only C: Gives a ratio, not identities or link to W.


Common Pitfalls:
Assuming A alone ties children to W; forgetting that C is needed to fix genders; ignoring that B links W to the sibling group.



Final Answer:
All A, B and C.

More Questions from Blood Relation Test

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion