Consider the Question and two Statements given below in respect of three cities P, Q and R in a State : Question : How far is city P from city Q? Statement-1 : City Q is 18 km from city R. Statement-2 : City P is 43 km from city R. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?
- (a) Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
- (b) Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
- (c) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
- (d) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are not sufficient to answer the Question ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
['- The question asks for the distance between city P and city Q.', '- Statement-1 provides the distance between Q and R (18 km) but gives no information about P.', '- Statement-2 provides the distance between P and R (43 km) but gives no information about Q.', '- Even combining both statements, we know the distances of P and Q from R, but we do not know the relative positions of P and Q with respect to R (e.g., whether they are on the same side or opposite sides of R).', '- Without knowing the alignment or angle between the cities, the distance between P and Q cannot be uniquely determined.', '- Therefore, neither statement alone nor both together are sufficient to answer the question.']
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
- Statement-1 only gives the distance between Q and R, providing no information about the location of P.
- (b) Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
- Statement-2 only gives the distance between P and R, providing no information about the location of Q.
- (c) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
- Combining both statements still leaves the relative positions of P and Q with respect to R unknown, making the distance between P and Q indeterminate.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.