A Question is given followed by two Statements I and II. Consider the Question and the Statements.
A certain amount was distributed among X, Y and Z.
- Question: Who received the least amount?
- Statement–I: X received 4/5 of what Y and Z together received.
- Statement–II: Y received 2/7 of what X and Z together received.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Question and the Statements?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) The Question can be answered by using both the Statements together, but cannot be answered using either Statement alone
Statement I makes X’s share 4/9 of the total and Statement II makes Y’s share 2/9; together Z gets 3/9, so Y received the least. Either statement alone leaves the split between the other two open.
- Statement I: X = (4/5)(Y + Z), so X : (Y + Z) = 4 : 5 and X = 4/9 of the total. Y and Z share 5/9 in an unknown way, so it is not sufficient.
- Statement II: Y = (2/7)(X + Z), so Y = 2/9 of the total. X and Z share 7/9 in an unknown way (X could even be less than Y), so it is not sufficient.
- Together: X = 4/9 and Y = 2/9, so Z = 1 − 6/9 = 3/9.
- Y received the least.
Remember · ‘A gets p/q of what the others get’ means A’s share is p/(p + q) of the total.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·