Direction: The problem consists of a problem followed by two statements.…

2023

Direction: The problem consists of a problem followed by two statements. Decide whether the data in the statements are sufficient to answer the question. Select your answer according to whether:

A. Statement I ALONE is sufficient, but statement II alone is not sufficient.

B. Statement II ALONE is sufficient, but statement I alone is not sufficient.

C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

Malini, Prithu, Akash and Kushi are four friends. Who among them is the heaviest?

I. Prithu is heavier than Malini and Kushi but lighter than Akash.

II. Malini is lighter than Prithu and Akash is heavier than Kushi.

  1. A.

    A

  2. B.

    B

  3. C.

    C

  4. D.

    D

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Concept: In a data-sufficiency question, a statement (alone or combined with the other) is sufficient only when it lets you fix the requested relation completely, with no ambiguity left. Test each statement on its own first — a statement is insufficient the moment two different, equally valid orderings both satisfy it but disagree on the answer.

Application:

  1. Statement I: Prithu is heavier than Malini and Kushi, and lighter than Akash. This fixes the chain Akash > Prithu > {Malini, Kushi}.

  2. Since Akash sits above every other person in this chain, Akash is the heaviest no matter how Malini and Kushi compare with each other. Statement I alone is sufficient.

  3. Statement II: Malini is lighter than Prithu, and Akash is heavier than Kushi. These are two separate comparisons — Prithu is never compared with Akash, and Malini is never compared with Kushi.

  4. Because the Prithu-versus-Akash link is missing, either of them could be the heaviest without contradicting Statement II. Statement II alone is not sufficient.

Cross-check: Two different orderings both satisfy Statement II — Akash > Prithu > Malini > Kushi, and Prithu > Akash > Kushi > Malini — yet they disagree on who is heaviest. This confirms Statement II cannot pin down the answer on its own.

Since Statement I alone is sufficient while Statement II alone is not, the correct choice is A.

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