Question

Pointing to a man, a woman says, ``He is the son of my grandfather's only son." How is the man related to the woman?

• A. Brother
• B. Cousin
• C. Father
• D. Son

Hint:

For blood relation problems, break down the statement into individual relationships (e.g., grandfather, son). Draw a family tree starting from the speaker, and trace the connections step-by-step. Clarify terms like “only son” to avoid ambiguity, and test each option against the tree to confirm the relationship.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Let’s determine the relationship by breaking down the statement.

• Step 1: Interpret the statement. The woman says, “He is the son of my grandfather’s only son.”
  • My grandfather: The woman’s grandfather.
  • Grandfather’s only son: The grandfather has only one son, who is either the woman’s father or uncle. Since it’s the “only son,” this person is the woman’s father (if she is the daughter of her grandfather’s son).
  • Son of the only son: The man is the son of the woman’s father.
• Step 2: Determine the relationship. If the woman’s father is the grandfather’s only son, and the man is the son of the woman’s father, then the man is the woman’s brother (since they share the same father).
• Step 3: Consider alternative interpretations. Could the “only son” be someone else? If the grandfather had only one son who is not the woman’s father (e.g., an uncle), the woman would be a cousin’s daughter, but the “only son” implies no other male siblings, making this unlikely. The most straightforward interpretation is that the grandfather’s only son is the woman’s father.
• Step 4: Evaluate options.
  • (1) Brother: Matches if the man is the son of the woman’s father.
  • (2) Cousin: Possible only if the grandfather’s son is an uncle, but “only son” suggests the father.
  • (3) Father: The man cannot be the father since he is the son of the grandfather’s son.
  • (4) Son: The man cannot be the woman’s son since he is the son of her father.
• Step 5: Draw a family tree. Grandfather $\rightarrow$ Only son (Father) $\rightarrow$ Woman and Man (siblings). This confirms the man is the woman’s brother.

Thus, the man is the woman’s brother.