प्रत्यक्ष और अप्रत्यक्ष संबंध स्थापित करना
Establishing Direct and Indirect Relations
Most inequality questions ask about two letters that are not next to each other in the chain, so you must trace an indirect relation through the letters between them. Doing this reliably rests on the common-element method and a clear priority among the signs. Once you can walk any chain from one end letter to another and carry the correct sign across every join, both single-chain and combined-statement questions become mechanical, which is exactly the speed SBI Clerk rewards in this block.
The Common-Element Method
To relate two letters, find the unbroken path of same-direction signs connecting them through shared middle letters. In A > B > C > D the common elements B and C link A to D, and because every sign points the same way, A > D follows. If at any shared letter the direction reverses, the path breaks and the two ends have no relation. Think of it as walking the chain: you may pass through as many letters as you like, provided you never have to turn around.
Priority of Signs on a Path
When a valid same-direction path mixes strict and 'or-equal' signs, the strict sign has priority and defines the conclusion. A single greater-than anywhere along an otherwise greater-than-or-equal path forces the end result to strict greater-than. Only when every sign on the path is 'or-equal' does the conclusion keep the equal possibility. This priority is what decides so many either-or questions, because a path that stays entirely 'or-equal' is what leaves the equal case open on the two end letters.
| Path signs from A to C | Priority rule | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| A > B > C | all strict | A > C |
| A > B ≥ C | one strict wins | A > C |
| A ≥ B > C | one strict wins | A > C |
| A ≥ B ≥ C | all 'or-equal' | A ≥ C |
| A > B < C | direction reverses | No relation |
Combining Two Statements
Some questions give two separate statements sharing a common letter, such as one chain ending in Q and another beginning with Q. Merge them at that shared letter into one long chain, then apply the common-element method as usual. The join only carries a relation if both statements point the same way through Q; if one has Q as a peak or a valley, the merge breaks there and the far letters stay unrelated, exactly as within a single chain. Before merging, make sure the shared letter sits at the end of one statement and the start of the other in the same direction; if one statement has Q greater than its neighbour and the other also keeps Q flowing the same way, the join is clean. Flip either statement's direction to line the arrows up if needed, since A < B is the same fact as B > A and rewriting it can turn a broken merge into a working one.
Solved Examples
Example: Statement 1: A ≥ B > C. Statement 2: C ≥ D. Merge at C into A ≥ B > C ≥ D. The path from A to D stays same-direction and includes a strict sign, so A > D definitely follows, while B > D also follows by the same walk from B.
✗ Reading A ≥ B ≥ C as A > C because the letters differ | ✓ Keeping A ≥ C — an all-'or-equal' path cannot upgrade to strict
दो अक्षरों को जोड़ने के लिए एक ही दिशा वाला रास्ता खोजें। रास्ते में एक भी सख्त चिह्न (>) हो तो निष्कर्ष सख्त होगा; सभी '≥' हों तभी '≥' रहेगा।
Exam Pointer — SBI Clerk mixes single-chain and two-statement inequality questions in the same set. For two-statement items, merge at the shared letter first, then walk the path. The recurring trap is upgrading an all-'or-equal' path to a strict conclusion — hold the equal sign unless a strict sign genuinely sits on the path between your two letters.
60-Second Recap
- Relate two letters by a same-direction path through shared letters.
- A reversal anywhere on the path means no relation.
- One strict sign on the path forces a strict conclusion.
- Two statements: merge at the common letter, then walk.