Family Tree Problem

The family tree is a genealogical/pedigree chart that shows the details of all ancestors of a family and their descendants. The chart shows all the family members and their relationship with one another. The old members of the family are presented on top of the tree and their children and their relations are shown next. The tree continues downwards to the last member of a family, and it will grow again with him/her.  

The family tree problem consists of questions related to the members of a family and showing their relationships to one another. The family tree problem mainly consists of questions related to blood relations. Family tree problems are also important for case studies to check health history. The definition of family tree problem revolves around the relationship between different members of a family. Details regarding the definition of family tree problems and their concepts are discussed below.

Definition of Family Tree Problem

The family tree problem defines the relationship between different members of a family. The definition of family tree problem gives the details about the link of a person to the family tree, by checking whether his/her association to that family is by birth or by law. Family tree problems are now common in exams like CSAT, CMAT, IBPS, and CAT. You can solve family tree problem questions easily, if the question and the concept are clear. 

Blood Relations

Many hard problems are based on blood relations in a family tree. Blood relations are the connection between two people or a person to a family by blood or by birth. The relations which are created by a marriage are also considered blood relations.

In-Law Relations

An in-law relationship is created by a marriage; all members of the spouse’s family are in-laws for the partner, starting from the mother-in-law and the father-in-law. 

Important terms used in family tree problems

• Great Grandparents – great grandmother (mother of grandfather or grandmother), great grandfather (father or grandfather or grandmother)

• Grandparents –  grandfather (father of father or mother), grandmother (mother of father or mother)

• Parents – mother and father

• Children – son or daughter

• Siblings – brother or sister

• Aunt – father’s or mother’s sister, father’s or mother’s brother’s wife

• Uncle – mother’s or father’s brother, mother’s or father’s sister’s husband

• Niece – daughter of brother/sister

• Nephew – son of brother/sister

• Cousin – son/daughter of uncle/aunt

• Father-in-law – father of the spouse

• Mother-in-law – mother of the spouse

• Sister-in-law –  sister of the spouse

• Daughter-in-law – wife of son

• Son-in-law – husband of the daughter

• Brother-in-law – brother of the spouse

• Grandchildren – granddaughter (daughter of son/daughter), grandson (son or daughter/son)

Family Tree Problem Questions

Types of family tree problem questions

• The relationship between many peoples will be given, including the relations between some people. You will be asked to find out the other relations.

Example: “F is A’s son. C is the mother of P and wife of F. How is A related to C?”

In the above example A, C, F, and P denote different people.

• Coded blood family tree problem questions are used in reasoning aptitude tests.

It consists of certain codes for family relationships like “P + Q means P is the father of Q” to find out the relations easily.

Example: “If C-T means C is the wife of T; C+T means C is the daughter of T and C/T means C is the son of T, find M+J” 

• Round-about manner questions consist of only two persons, and the question is asked in a round-about manner.

Example: “Ram introduces Revathi as the daughter of the only son of his father’s wife.” 

Who is Revathi to Ram?”  

• The questions can also be asked to describe the relationship between two or more people, in which a person will explain his/her relationship with others. 

Importance of family tree problem questions

• Such questions are widely used in logical reasoning.

• Questions related to the family tree are used in all important competitive exams.

• They are used to identify family-related genetic medical problems and conditions.

Family Tree Problem Concepts

The family tree problem concept includes steps to solve the family tree problem questions easily.

Following are the steps to solve the family tree problem questions.

• Solve the question by using yourself as the primary person. This will help you identify the relations mentioned in the question.

• Cut down the question, separating it into all the different relations mentioned. This will help you identify the relations one by one.

• Make diagrams to represent each relation. This makes it easier to look at the whole relationship mentioned in the question.

Points to remember

• No illegal relations should be mentioned in the problem. No girlfriends/boyfriends and only one wife is allowed for a man.

• Never judge a person’s gender with name. Sometimes the name doesn’t match the gender.

Conclusion

Family tree problems have become the main part of several competitive exams. It helps people identify medical issues in a family. Hard questions related to the definition of family tree problem are used to check the problem-solving capacity of students in many fields.