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Simple Direct Relation

Simple Direct Relation problems present a straightforward relationship between two family members (e.g., 'A is the father of B') and ask for the inverse relationship. These problems test your grasp of basic kinship terminology and form the foundation of all family tree puzzles.

10Worksheets
200+Practice Questions
BeginnerDifficulty
1-2 hoursHours to Master

What You'll Learn

Introduction & Overview Why This Matters How to Solve Pro Tips & Tricks
Shortcut Methods Common Mistakes Practice Worksheets Exam Importance

Introduction to Simple Direct Relation

Simple Direct Relation problems present a straightforward relationship between two family members (e.g., 'A is the father of B') and ask for the inverse relationship. These problems test your grasp of basic kinship terminology and form the foundation of all family tree puzzles.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of basic family terms (father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter) Understanding of male/female specific relations Ability to reverse a relationship (e.g., 'father' to 'child') Common sense about family structures
Why This Matters: Simple Direct Relation is the most fundamental problem type. You can expect 2-3 questions in SSC CGL, 2-3 in Banking PO, and 2-3 in Railways RRB exams.

How to Solve Simple Direct Relation Problems

1

Step 1: Identify the two persons involved in the statement (e.g., A and B).

2

Step 2: Identify the given relationship (e.g., 'A is the brother of B').

3

Step 3: Note the gender of the persons based on the relationship term (e.g., 'brother' implies A is male).

4

Step 4: Reverse the relationship to find the answer. The opposite of 'father' is 'son/daughter'; the opposite of 'brother' is 'sibling'.

5

Step 5: Use gender-neutral terms like 'child', 'parent', or 'sibling' if the gender is not specified.

6

Step 6: Answer the question with the correct relationship.

Pro Strategy: Always convert the relationship into a parent-child or sibling-sibling equation. The reverse of a parent is a child, and the reverse of a sibling is a sibling. When gender is missing, use neutral terms like 'parent', 'child', or 'sibling'.

Example Problem

Example: A is the mother of B. What is B to A? Solution: Step 1: Persons: A and B. Step 2: Given: A is mother of B. Step 3: A is female, B's gender is unknown. Step 4: Reverse relationship: B is child of A. Step 5: Since B's gender is unknown, answer is 'child'. Answer: B is the child of A.

Pro Tips & Tricks

  • Father, husband, brother, son → male.
  • Mother, wife, sister, daughter → female.
  • Parent → child (reverse).
  • Sibling → sibling (reverse).
  • Spouse → spouse (reverse).
  • If a relationship uses a male term, the person is definitely male.

Shortcut Methods to Solve Faster

Father → Son/Daughter (Child)
Mother → Son/Daughter (Child)
Brother → Brother/Sister (Sibling)
Sister → Brother/Sister (Sibling)
Husband → Wife
Wife → Husband

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming the child is a son when gender is not specified.
Confusing the direction of the relationship (e.g., thinking A is father of B when B is father of A).
Forgetting that 'sibling' includes both brothers and sisters.
Assuming a person's gender from their name.

Exam Importance

Simple Direct Relation is an important topic for various competitive exams. Here's how frequently it appears:

SSC CGL
2-3 questions
BANKING PO
2-3 questions
RAILWAYS RRB
2-3 questions
CAT
1-2 questions
INSURANCE
2-3 questions

Ready to Master Simple Direct Relation?

Start with Worksheet 1 and work your way up to expert level! Each worksheet includes:

20 practice questions
Detailed solutions
Step-by-step explanations
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