Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: B
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a simple logical reasoning question about ranking people by the amount of money they have. Such questions appear frequently in aptitude tests, where candidates must convert verbal comparisons into an ordered list and then answer queries about positions like richest, poorest, or second richest.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The statements describe relative order, not exact amounts. We translate each comparison into inequality relations and then merge them into a single ranking from richest to poorest. When we know that one person is the second richest, we can place that person and then position the remaining individuals above or below based on the other comparisons. Finally, we look for the person at the bottom of the order, which corresponds to the least amount of money.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
We can imagine approximate amounts that satisfy all comparisons, for example A = 100, C = 90, E = 60 and B = 40. These values satisfy C > E, E > B and C as second richest after A. With any such consistent assignment, B always appears last, so B is inevitably the poorest.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Person C cannot be the poorest because C is explicitly richer than both E and B.
Person A is stated to be richer than C, so A is the richest, not the poorest.
Person E has more money than B, so E also cannot be the least.
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes misread “second richest” and place that person incorrectly, or they forget to combine all given inequalities. Drawing a simple arrow diagram or chain from richest to poorest helps avoid confusion.
Final Answer:
The person with the least money is B.
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