Consider the Question and two Statements given below:
- Question: Is Z brother of X?
- Statement–1: X is a brother of Y and Y is a brother of Z.
- Statement–2: X, Y and Z are siblings.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question
Both statements tell us X, Y and Z are siblings, and Statement–1 shows X and Y are male, but nothing tells us whether Z is male. Z could be X’s brother or sister, so even together the statements are not sufficient.
- Statement–1: X is a brother of Y and Y is a brother of Z, so X and Y are male and all three are siblings. Z’s gender is not given.
- Statement–2: X, Y and Z are siblings — again Z’s gender is not given.
- Together they still do not say whether Z is male, so Z may be X’s brother or X’s sister.
- Neither statement alone nor both together can answer the question.
Remember · ‘Is Z a brother?’ needs Z’s gender; statements that fix only other people’s gender cannot answer it.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·