Blood relations reasoning questions test your ability to decode family structures and relationships from a given set of statements or symbols. Mastering this topic relies heavily on standardizing your notations and breaking down complex sentences systematically.
1. Standard Family Tree Notations
To avoid confusion, adopt a consistent set of symbols before attempting any problem:
Male Member
Represented by a square ([+] or □).
Female Member
Represented by a circle ([-] or ○).
Married Couple
Connected by a double-headed arrow or equal sign (↔ or =).
Siblings
Connected by a single horizontal line (—).
2. Core Types of Blood Relation Problems
Type A: Conversation or Photograph-Based (Pointing Form)
These feature statements like, "Pointing to a man, a woman said..."
Solving Strategy: Always work backward from pronouns ("my", "your") or start from the end of the statement. Break sentences into small segments at conjunctions (*who, and, whose*).
Example: Pointing to a photograph, a man said, "She is the daughter of my mother's only son." How is the woman related to the man?
Breakdown: "My mother's only son" = The man himself → "Daughter of [the man]" = Daughter.
Example: Pointing to a photograph, a man said, "She is the daughter of my mother's only son." How is the woman related to the man?
Breakdown: "My mother's only son" = The man himself → "Daughter of [the man]" = Daughter.
Type B: Analytical or Jumbled Puzzle-Based
Provides a string of clues about multiple members. Strategy: Draw the family tree generation by generation. Never assume gender by name alone!
Type C: Coded Relations
Replaces words with symbols (e.g., $A + B$ means $A$ is father of $B$). Strategy: Substitute symbols step-by-step.
💡 Golden Rules for Accuracy
- Never Assume Gender: Do not guess based on names (like Rahul or Pinky) unless explicitly stated.
- Keep Track of Generations: Place grandparents at the top, parents in the middle, and children at the bottom.
- Treat Spouses Equally: Keep marriage links clear to avoid confusing them with siblings.
SECTION: EASY LEVEL MCQs
Q1. Pointing to a photograph of a boy, Suresh said, "He is the son of the only son of my mother." How is Suresh related to that boy?
Correct Answer: C) Father
Explanation: Mother's only son is Suresh himself. So, the boy is the son of Suresh. Thus, Suresh is the father of the boy.
Q2. A man said to a lady, "Your mother's husband's sister is my aunt." How is the lady related to the man?
Correct Answer: D) Sister
Explanation: Lady's mother's husband is the lady's father. Father's sister is the lady's aunt. Since the man's aunt is also the lady's aunt, the lady is the sister of the man.
Q3. If A is the brother of B; B is the sister of C; and C is the father of D, how D is related to A?
Correct Answer: B) Nephew / Niece
Explanation: A, B, and C are siblings (A and C are brothers, B is sister). C is the father of D. Therefore, A is the paternal uncle of D, which means D is either the nephew or niece of A (depending on D's gender).
Q4. Introducing a woman, a man said, "Her mother is the only daughter of my mother-in-law." How is the man related to the woman?
Correct Answer: A) Father
Explanation: The only daughter of the man's mother-in-law is the man's wife. Her mother is the woman's mother. Therefore, the woman is the daughter of the man, and the man is her father.
Q5. Pointing to a photograph, Anita said, "He is the brother of the daughter of my grandfather's only son." How is the man in the photograph related to Anita?
Correct Answer: B) Brother
Explanation: Anita's grandfather's only son is Anita's father. The daughter of Anita's father is Anita (or Anita's sister). The brother of this daughter is Anita's brother.
Q6. Looking at a portrait of a man, Harsh said, "His mother is the wife of my father's son. Brothers and sisters I have none." At whose portrait was Harsh looking?
Correct Answer: A) His son
Explanation: Since Harsh has no brothers or sisters, "my father's son" refers to Harsh himself. "Wife of my father's son" means Harsh's wife. The man's mother is Harsh's wife, so the man is Harsh's son.
Q7. A's mother is sister of B and daughter of C. D is the daughter of B and sister of E. How is C related to E?
Correct Answer: C) Grandfather or Grandmother
Explanation: A's mother is C's daughter. B is also C's child. D and E are children of B. Therefore, C is the grandparent (Grandfather or Grandmother, as gender is unspecified) of E.
Q8. If P is the husband of Q and R is the mother of S and Q, how is R related to P?
Correct Answer: D) Mother-in-law
Explanation: Q is the wife of P. R is the mother of Q. Therefore, R is the mother-in-law of P.
Q9. Pointing to a man in a photograph, a woman said, "His brother's father is the only son of my grandfather." How is the woman related to the man in the photograph?
Correct Answer: C) Sister
Explanation: Only son of woman's grandfather = woman's father. Man's brother's father = man's father. Since both have the same father, the woman is the man's sister.
Q10. X and Y are brothers. R is the father of Y. S is the brother of T and maternal uncle of X. What is T to R?
Correct Answer: B) Wife
Explanation: X and Y are brothers, and R is their father. S is the maternal uncle of X, meaning S is the brother of X's mother. T is the sibling of S, so T must be the mother of X and Y. Therefore, T is R's wife.
SECTION: MEDIUM LEVEL MCQs
Q11. Read the following information to answer the question:
'A + B' means 'A is the father of B'
'A - B' means 'A is the wife of B'
'A × B' means 'A is the brother of B'
'A ÷ B' means 'A is the daughter of B'
If P ÷ R + S - Q, which of the following statements is TRUE?
'A + B' means 'A is the father of B'
'A - B' means 'A is the wife of B'
'A × B' means 'A is the brother of B'
'A ÷ B' means 'A is the daughter of B'
If P ÷ R + S - Q, which of the following statements is TRUE?
Correct Answer: C) P is the sister-in-law of Q
Explanation: P ÷ R → P is daughter of R. R + S → R is father of S (So P and S are sisters). S - Q → S is wife of Q. Since P is the sister of Q's wife (S), P is the sister-in-law of Q.
Q12. In a family of six persons A, B, C, D, E, and F, there are two married couples. D is the grandmother of A and mother of B. C is the wife of B and mother of F. F is the granddaughter of E. What is C's relation to A?
Correct Answer: B) Mother
Explanation: D is grandmother of A and mother of B. C is wife of B and mother of F. E is married to D. Since B and C are married, and C is mother of F while D is grandmother of A, A and F are siblings. Hence, C is the mother of A.
Q13. Pointing to a man, a lady said, "His mother's husband's sister is my mother-in-law." How is the man's wife related to the lady?
Correct Answer: A) Sister-in-law
Explanation: Man's mother's husband = man's father. His father's sister = man's aunt. Lady's mother-in-law is the man's aunt. This means the man and the lady's husband are cousins. Thus, the man's wife is the lady's sister-in-law.
Q14. If 'P $ Q' means 'P is the father of Q'; 'P # Q' means 'P is the mother of Q'; 'P % Q' means 'P is the sister of Q', then how is N related to M in the expression 'M # N % O $ P'?
Correct Answer: A) Daughter
Explanation: M # N → M is mother of N. N % O → N is sister of O. O $ P → O is father of P. Since N is the sister of O, N's gender is female. Thus, N is the daughter of M.
Q15. A family has a man, his wife, their four sons, and their wives. The family of every son also has 3 sons and one daughter. Find the total number of female members in the whole family.
Correct Answer: B) 9
Explanation: Main Wife = 1; Wives of four sons = 4; Each of 4 sons has 1 daughter = 4. Total females = 1 + 4 + 4 = 9.
Q16. Examining a family tree, Rohan says, "M and N are brothers. P and Q are sisters. M's son is Q's brother." How is N related to P?
Correct Answer: C) Uncle
Explanation: M's son is brother of Q, and Q is sister of P. So P, Q, and M's son are M's children. M is P's father. Since N is M's brother, N is P's paternal uncle.
Q17. If 'A + B' means A is the brother of B; 'A - B' means A is the sister of B; 'A * B' means A is the father of B. Which of the following means 'M is the nephew of N'?
Correct Answer: D) N + K * M + L
Explanation: N + K means N is brother of K. K * M means K is father of M. M + L means M is brother of L (so M is male). Since K is father of M and N is brother of K, M is the nephew of N.
Q18. Pointing to a woman in a photo, Rahul said, "Her mother's only son's wife is my mother-in-law." How is Rahul's wife related to that woman?
Correct Answer: B) Niece
Explanation: Woman's mother's only son = woman's brother. Woman's brother's wife is Rahul's mother-in-law. Rahul's wife is the daughter of Rahul's mother-in-law. Therefore, Rahul's wife is the niece of the woman.
Q19. A is B's sister. C is B's mother. D is C's father. E is D's mother. Then, how is A related to D?
Correct Answer: D) Granddaughter
Explanation: A is sister of B, C is mother of A and B. D is father of C. Thus, A is the granddaughter of D.
Q20. Q's mother is sister of P and daughter of M. S is daughter of P and sister of T. How is M related to T?
Correct Answer: C) Grandfather or Grandmother
Explanation: S and T are children of P. P is child of M (since Q's mother and P are siblings, both children of M). Thus M is the grandparent (Grandfather or Grandmother) of T.
SECTION: HARD LEVEL MCQs
Q21. In a joint family of 8 members (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H): E is a doctor and father of C; F is an engineer and father of G; B is mother-in-law of H and grandmother of C; D is grandfather of G; H is married to E; A is the sister of C. How is G related to B?
Correct Answer: C) Grandchild (Gender Unknown)
Explanation: D (Male) married to B (Female). Their sons are E (married to H) and F. E & H have children A and C. F has child G. Since B is the grandmother in Gen 1 and G is in Gen 3, G is B's grandchild (gender unspecified).
Q22. Consider: 'P # Q' (P is mother of Q), 'P @ Q' (P is husband of Q), 'P $ Q' (P is sister of Q), 'P % Q' (P is son of Q). If 'J % K @ L # M $ N', which statement is true regarding J and M?
Correct Answer: A) J is the brother of M
Explanation: K @ L → K is husband, L is wife. L # M → L is mother of M. J % K → J is son of K. Since K & L are parents to both J and M, and J is male, J is the brother of M.
Q23. A family consists of 6 members P, Q, R, S, T, U. S is the paternal grandfather of U. R is the daughter-in-law of P. T is the mother of U. Q is the brother of S. How is P related to T?
Correct Answer: A) Mother-in-law / Father-in-law
Explanation: S is grandfather of U, T is mother of U. So S is father of T's husband. Since S is grandfather, S is married to P. Thus P is wife of S and mother-in-law of T.
Q24. If 'A @ B' means A is child of B; 'A $ B' means A is husband of B; 'A # B' means A is daughter of B; 'A & B' means A is wife of B. Which represents 'P is father-in-law of S'?
Correct Answer: D) S & Q @ R # P
Explanation: S & Q → S is wife of Q. Q @ R → Q is child of R. R # P → R is daughter of P. Thus P is the parent line of Q's mother, serving as father-in-law line to S.
Q25. C is sister-in-law of A, who is daughter of D. F is maternal uncle of G. E is husband of D and father-in-law of C. B is mother of G. How is B related to A?
Correct Answer: A) Sister
Explanation: E & D are parents of A. B is mother of G and F is uncle of G. Since E & D are parents of A, B is the sister of A.
Q26. Pointing to a lady in a picture, Kiran said, "She is the daughter-in-law of the father of my father's only daughter." How is the lady related to Kiran (assuming Kiran is female)?
Correct Answer: A) Sister-in-law
Explanation: Kiran's father's only daughter = Kiran. Father of Kiran = Kiran's father. Daughter-in-law of Kiran's father = Wife of Kiran's brother. Thus, the lady is Kiran's sister-in-law.
Q27. A and B are a married couple (A is male). D is the only son of C, who is the brother of A. E is the sister of D. How is E related to C?
Correct Answer: B) Daughter
Explanation: D is the only son of C. E is the sister of D. Therefore, E is also the child of C, specifically the daughter of C.
Q28. 'A + B' (father), 'A - B' (mother), 'A * B' (brother), 'A / B' (sister). Which shows that 'M is the maternal uncle of T'?
Correct Answer: B) M * K - T
Explanation: M * K → M is brother of K. K - T → K is mother of T. Since M is the brother of T's mother (K), M is the maternal uncle of T.
Q29. P and Q are married couple. P is father-in-law of R, who is mother of S. T is sister of S and daughter of U. V is brother-in-law of U and son of P. How is S related to P?
Correct Answer: C) Grandchild
Explanation: P is father-in-law of R. R is mother of S (3rd generation). Since P is the grandfather of S, S is the grandchild of P.
Q30. Pointing to a man, a woman said, "His mother's husband's father-in-law is my father's only son." How is the woman related to the man?
Correct Answer: B) Aunt (Maternal)
Explanation: Man's father's father-in-law = Man's maternal grandfather. "My father's only son" = Woman's brother. So, Man's maternal grandfather is the woman's brother. Thus, the woman is the maternal aunt / grand-aunt.