In this blood relation problem, P's father is described as the son of Q. M is the paternal uncle of P and N is the brother of Q. How is N related to M?

Introduction / Context:
This logical reasoning question revolves around a three generation family structure. We know how P's father is related to Q and how M and N fit around them. The task is to determine the relationship between two older members, N and M. These problems test whether the candidate can identify common ancestors and then place everyone correctly in the generational tree.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• P's father is the son of Q.• M is the paternal uncle of P, so M is a brother of P's father.• N is the brother of Q.• Normal family structure with no skipped generations is assumed.

Concept / Approach:
The first step is to place Q and P's father. If P's father is the son of Q, then Q is the parent of P's father. Since M is the paternal uncle of P, he is a brother of P's father and therefore another child of Q. This makes both M and P's father children of Q. N is described as the brother of Q, which means N is one generation above Q's children, so N is an uncle to Q's children. Since M is one of those children, N is the uncle of M.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: P's father is a son of Q. So Q is one generation above P's father.Step 2: M is a paternal uncle of P; hence M is a brother of P's father.Step 3: If M is a brother of P's father, and P's father is a son of Q, M must also be a child of Q.Step 4: Thus Q has at least two children: P's father and M.Step 5: N is a brother of Q, which puts N in the same generation as Q and one generation above P's father and M.Step 6: The brother of Q is an uncle to Q's children, so N is an uncle of M.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Draw Q and N side by side as siblings. Connect Q to two children: P's father and M. Then connect P's father to P. The line from N to M is clearly that of an uncle to a nephew. There is no way to interpret the data that makes N a cousin, brother or nephew of M without contradicting the clearly stated generations.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Brother of M: N is a brother of Q, not of M. M is a generation below N.Cousin of M: Cousins share grandparents and are in the same generation. Here N is one generation above M.Grandfather of M: No statement puts N two generations above M; he is only one generation above.Nephew of M: This would require N to be a generation below M, which is opposite to what is given.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse who is at the top of the tree. It is important to note that Q is a parent of P's father and that M, being a brother of P's father, cannot be in Q's generation. Another trap is assuming that any brother mentioned must be of the same generation as the person of interest; instead, pay attention to which person that brother is connected to (here, Q, not M).

Final Answer:
N is the uncle of M.