A family has two children along with their parents. The average of the weights of the children and their mother is 50 kg. The average of the weights of the children and their father is 52 kg. If the weight of the father is 60 kg, then what is the weight of the mother?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 54 kg
Children plus mother weigh 150 kg and children plus father 156 kg, so the father is 6 kg heavier than the mother. With the father at 60 kg, the mother weighs 54 kg.
- Children + mother = 3 × 50 = 150 kg.
- Children + father = 3 × 52 = 156 kg.
- Father − mother = 156 − 150 = 6 kg.
- Mother = 60 − 6 = 54 kg.
- Check: children = 156 − 60 = 96, and 96 + 54 = 150.
Remember · When two averages share members, subtract the totals — the shared part cancels.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·