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Relationship Comparison

Introduction

Relationship Comparison questions require you to examine two or more relationship statements and decide whether they describe the same relation, different relations, or if the relation cannot be conclusively determined.

This pattern is important because many tests present equivalent statements differently - mastering comparison saves time and prevents errors from reversed perspective or omitted gender clues.

Pattern: Relationship Comparison

Pattern

Key concept: Build each relationship independently, normalize the direction (who → whom), and then compare the resulting links for equivalence.

Common checks:

  • Is the direction reversed? (A → B vs B → A)
  • Are genders specified or implied?
  • Is there a generation shift (parent vs child)?
  • Does a neutral term (sibling/child/parent) exist that removes ambiguity?

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Statement 1: A is the brother of B.
Statement 2: B is the sister of A.
Which is correct?

(A) Same relationship (B) Different relationship (C) Opposite relationship (D) Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode Statement 1.

    A is brother of B → A and B are siblings; A is male.

  2. Step 2: Decode Statement 2.

    B is sister of A → B and A are siblings; B is female.

  3. Step 3: Normalize and compare.

    Both statements assert a sibling relationship between A and B (just state genders explicitly). The underlying connection (sibling) is identical.

  4. Final Answer:

    Same relationship → Option A.

  5. Quick Check:

    Both say “A and B are siblings” (gender words differ but do not change relation) ✅

Quick Variations

1. Direction swap: “A is father of B” vs “B is son of A” → Same relationship if genders/generation match.

2. Gender ambiguity: “A is the brother of B” vs “B is sibling of A” → Same relationship (use neutral term).

3. Generation trap: “A is the cousin of B” vs “B is uncle of A” → Different (cousin vs uncle).

4. In-law vs blood: “A is sister-in-law of B” vs “B is sister of A” → Different (marital vs blood).

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Convert each statement to a simple arrow form: Person → Relation → Person (e.g., A → brother → B).
  • Step 2 → Rewrite reversed forms so both read from the same left→right direction before comparing.
  • Step 3 → Replace gendered words with neutral ones when checking equivalence (brother/sister → sibling) if options include neutral terms.
  • Step 4 → If ambiguity remains (missing gender/generation), choose “Cannot be determined” rather than guessing.

Summary

Summary

Key takeaways:

  • Always parse each statement independently, normalize direction, then compare.
  • Watch for generation changes - parent ↔ child means different relations.
  • Prefer neutral terms or DNT when gender/generation is ambiguous.
  • Quick normalization (arrow form) is the fastest way to check equivalence under exam time pressure.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Statement 1: A is the husband of B.<br>Statement 2: B is the wife of A.<br>What is the relation comparison between the two statements?<br><br>(A) Same (B) Different (C) Opposite (D) Cannot be determined
easy
A. Same
B. Different
C. Opposite
D. Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode both statements.

    Statement 1 → A is husband of B (marital link). Statement 2 → B is wife of A (same marital link).

  2. Step 2: Compare relationships.

    Both describe the same spousal relationship - just reversed direction.

  3. Final Answer:

    Same → Option A.

  4. Quick Check:

    ‘Husband-wife’ is same connection both ways ✅
Hint: If the pair describes the same marriage, relation = same.
Common Mistakes: Thinking reverse direction changes the meaning.
2. Statement 1: P is the mother of Q.<br>Statement 2: Q is the daughter of P.<br>What is the relation comparison between the two statements?<br><br>(A) Same (B) Different (C) Opposite (D) Cannot be determined
easy
A. Same
B. Different
C. Opposite
D. Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode both statements.

    P → mother → Q (parent). Q → daughter → P (child).

  2. Step 2: Normalize direction.

    Same relation (parent-child) viewed from opposite sides.

  3. Final Answer:

    Same → Option A.

  4. Quick Check:

    Parent ↔ Child = same relation ✅
Hint: Parent and child statements describe same bond, reversed direction.
Common Mistakes: Marking ‘different’ just because gender or direction changes.
3. Statement 1: R is the uncle of S.<br>Statement 2: S is the nephew of R.<br>What is the relation comparison between the two statements?<br><br>(A) Same (B) Different (C) Opposite (D) Cannot be determined
easy
A. Same
B. Different
C. Opposite
D. Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode statements.

    R → uncle → S (one generation above). S → nephew → R (one generation below).

  2. Step 2: Compare direction.

    Both represent the same family link - one seen upward, one downward.

  3. Final Answer:

    Same → Option A.

  4. Quick Check:

    Uncle ↔ Nephew describe same link ✅
Hint: Uncle and nephew describe the same bond in opposite direction.
Common Mistakes: Confusing reversed viewpoint with opposite relationship.
4. Statement 1: X is the brother of Y.<br>Statement 2: Y is the cousin of X.<br>What is the relation comparison between the two statements?<br><br>(A) Same (B) Different (C) Opposite (D) Cannot be determined
medium
A. Same
B. Different
C. Opposite
D. Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode facts.

    X → brother → Y (siblings, same parents). Y → cousin → X (different parents).

  2. Step 2: Compare generation and parentage.

    Both are same generation, but one is same-parent and one is different-parent → different relationships.

  3. Final Answer:

    Different → Option B.

  4. Quick Check:

    Sibling ≠ Cousin ✅
Hint: Same generation ≠ same relation - check parentage.
Common Mistakes: Ignoring whether they share parents or not.
5. Statement 1: M is the father of N.<br>Statement 2: N is the uncle of M.<br>What is the relation comparison between the two statements?<br><br>(A) Same (B) Different (C) Opposite (D) Cannot be determined
medium
A. Same
B. Different
C. Opposite
D. Cannot be determined

Solution

  1. Step 1: Decode both statements.

    M → father → N (M one generation above). N → uncle → M (impossible unless circular).

  2. Step 2: Compare logical direction.

    The statements describe contradictory generation links - different and inconsistent.

  3. Final Answer:

    Different → Option B.

  4. Quick Check:

    Father vs Uncle = different generation and role ✅
Hint: If the logic contradicts generations, mark ‘Different’.
Common Mistakes: Overlooking impossible circular family loops.

Mock Test

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