Indirect Statement Chain
Indirect Statement Chain problems present relationship clues in an indirect or coded manner, such as 'pointing to a photograph' or 'the son of my mother's only daughter'. These problems require you to decode the indirect reference step by step to establish the actual relationship.
What You'll Learn
Introduction to Indirect Statement Chain
Indirect Statement Chain problems present relationship clues in an indirect or coded manner, such as 'pointing to a photograph' or 'the son of my mother's only daughter'. These problems require you to decode the indirect reference step by step to establish the actual relationship.
Prerequisites
How to Solve Indirect Statement Chain Problems
Step 1: Identify the speaker and the person being referred to in the indirect statement
Step 2: Break the statement into smaller parts (e.g., 'my mother' → 'mother of speaker')
Step 3: Work from the innermost reference outward, building the family tree step by step
Step 4: Replace each phrase with the actual relationship (e.g., 'my mother's son' = speaker's brother)
Step 5: Continue until the entire statement is decoded into a direct relationship
Step 6: For 'pointing to a photograph' problems, treat the person in the photograph as a separate entity
Step 7: Verify the decoded relationship by tracing backwards
Example Problem
Example: Pointing to a photograph, A said, 'He is the son of my mother's only daughter.' How is the person in the photograph related to A? Solution: Step 1: Speaker: A, Person in photo: X (male, 'he') Step 2: 'my mother' → mother of A Step 3: 'my mother's only daughter' → A's mother has only one daughter Step 4: The only daughter of A's mother could be A herself (if A is female) or A's sister Step 5: 'son of [that daughter]' → X is the son of that daughter Step 6: If A is female: A is the daughter → X is son of A → X is A's son Step 7: If A is male: A's sister is the daughter → X is son of A's sister → X is A's nephew Step 8: Without knowing A's gender, answer could be son or nephew Answer: Cannot be determined uniquely (son or nephew depending on A's gender)
Pro Tips & Tricks
- 'My mother's son' = my brother (if I am male) or my brother/myself (if gender unknown)
- 'My father's daughter' = my sister (if I am female) or my sister (if I am male)
- 'Only son' or 'only daughter' implies uniqueness—very important clues
- For 'pointing to a photograph' problems, the person in the photo is a distinct individual
- Draw the family tree as you decode each part of the statement
- Pay attention to pronouns (he/she) as they reveal gender of the person being discussed
Shortcut Methods to Solve Faster
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Practice Worksheets
Practice makes perfect! Work through these worksheets to master Indirect Statement Chain. Each worksheet contains 20 questions with detailed explanations. Start from Worksheet 1 and progress through increasing difficulty levels.
Exam Importance
Indirect Statement Chain is an important topic for various competitive exams. Here's how frequently it appears:
Ready to Master Indirect Statement Chain?
Start with Worksheet 1 and work your way up to expert level! Each worksheet includes: