Blood Relations: Family Tree Method to Never Get Confused

Blood relation questions become simple when you use the family tree diagram method. No more confusion between maternal and paternal relations.

The Tree Method

Draw generations as horizontal lines. Place males on left, females on right (or use + and - symbols). Marriage = double line. Parent-child = vertical line going down. Siblings = on the same horizontal level.

Key Relationships to Remember

Mother's/Father's brother = Uncle. Mother's/Father's sister = Aunt. Sister's husband = Brother-in-law. Brother's wife = Sister-in-law. Father's father = Grandfather (paternal). Mother's father = Grandfather (maternal).

Coded Blood Relations

For coded blood relations (A+B means A is father of B), first decode all relationships, then draw the family tree. Never try to solve in your head — always draw the diagram.