Blood Relations & Directions Questions in CSAT

Blood relations and direction sense questions appear in CSAT almost every year, contributing 2 to 4 questions worth 5 to 10 marks. These questions are high-yield: solvable in 60 to 90 seconds once you master a few basic techniques. This guide covers the standard relationship terms, the family-tree method, and direction sense rules.

Why These Questions Are Scoring

• Concepts are finite: 15 relationship terms, 8 directions.
• No outside knowledge required.
• Solvable with diagrams, minimal arithmetic.
• Consistent format year after year.

Standard Family Relationship Vocabulary

The Family Tree Method

Represent every relationship visually:

• Use △ for male, ○ for female.
• Connect marriage with = (horizontal line).
• Connect parent-child with | (vertical line).
• Siblings sit at the same horizontal level connected by —.

Worked Example 1

A is B’s brother. B is C’s mother. C is D’s sister. How is A related to D?

Solution: B has two children — C and D. A is B’s brother, so A is the maternal uncle of C and D. Answer: Maternal uncle.

Worked Example 2

Pointing to a photograph, a man said, ‘She is the daughter of the only son of my grandfather.’ How is the girl related to the man?

Solution: Grandfather’s only son = the man’s father. Father’s daughter = the man’s sister. Answer: Sister.

Worked Example 3

P is Q’s wife. R is the son of Q. S is R’s sister. T is S’s mother. How is T related to P?

Solution: Q and P are married. R and S are their children. S’s mother is Q’s wife, which is P. T is the same person as P.

Tricky Phrasing to Watch For

• ‘Only son of my father’ = the speaker himself.
• ‘Only daughter of my mother’ = the speaker herself (if female).
• ‘My father’s only brother’ = the speaker’s paternal uncle.
• ‘Wife of the only son of…’ requires two-level deduction.

Direction Sense Fundamentals

Always draw a compass at the top of your rough space:

• North ↑, South ↓, East →, West ←.
• Northeast = between N and E (upper right).
• Southwest = between S and W (lower left).
• A right turn when facing North = East.
• A left turn when facing North = West.

Direction Sense Example

A man walks 5 km North, then turns right and walks 3 km, then turns right again and walks 5 km. How far is he from the starting point and in which direction?

Solution: 5 km N, then 3 km E (right turn from N = E), then 5 km S (right turn from E = S). Net displacement = 0 N/S, 3 km E. He is 3 km east of the starting point.

Clock-Based Direction Questions

UPSC sometimes frames directions using clock angles: ’45° clockwise from North’ = Northeast. ’90° anticlockwise from East’ = North. Memorize:

Shadow-Based Direction

At sunrise, the sun is in the east. A man’s shadow falls to the west. At sunset, the sun is in the west; shadows fall east. At noon, shadows are short and point north (in the Northern Hemisphere).

Common Mistakes

• Assuming gender when not stated.
• Confusing ‘father-in-law’ with ‘paternal uncle.’
• Missing ‘only’ qualifier (only son, only daughter).
• Not drawing a compass for direction questions.
• Miscalculating displacement when paths overlap.

Practice Strategy

A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning — R.S. Aggarwal

• 932 pages across verbal and non-verbal reasoning
• Pattern-based practice for the reasoning half of CSAT
• Solutions worked out rather than just answer keys

Use it as a question bank. The theory sections are not why you buy it.

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1. Solve 5 blood relation and 5 direction questions daily for 2 weeks.
2. Build muscle memory for family-tree diagrams.
3. Time yourself: target 60 seconds per blood relation, 45 seconds per direction.
4. Review previous year CSAT questions on these topics — highly repeatable.

Key Takeaway

Blood relations and direction sense are CSAT’s easiest marks if you commit to the diagram method. Never solve these questions in your head — always draw. The 10 seconds spent drawing save 60 seconds of confusion.

Frequently Asked Questions