Comprehension
DIRECTIONS for the following three questions: Answer the questions on the basis of the information given below.
Five women decided to go shopping to M.G. Road, Bangalore. They arrived at the designated meeting place in the following order:
Archana,
Chellamma,
Dhenuka,
Helen, and
Shahnaz.
Each woman spent at least Rs. 1000. Below are some additional facts about how much they spent during their shopping spree.
i. The woman who spent Rs. 2234 arrived before the lady who spent Rs. 1193.
ii. One woman spent Rs. 1340 and she was not Dhenuka.
iii. One woman spent Rs. 1378 more than Chellamma.
iv. One woman spent Rs. 2517 and she was not Archana.
v. Helen spent more than Dhenuka.
vi. Shahnaz spent the largest amount and Chellamma the smallest.
Question: 1
What was the amount spent by Helen?
What was the amount spent by Helen?
Show Hint
Chellamma spent the least, so her amount plus 1378 must be one of the other amounts. Find her amount first, then place everyone else.
Updated On: Nov 7, 2026
- Rs. 1193
- Rs. 1340
- Rs. 2234
- Rs. 2517
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Read the set-up carefully.
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Pick Helen's amount from the options.
Helen spent Rs. 1340, which is option (2).
Option (1), Rs. 1193, is what Dhenuka spent. Option (3), Rs. 2234, is Archana's amount. Option (4), Rs. 2517, is Shahnaz's amount. Each of these is a real amount from the puzzle but belongs to a different woman, which is the trap.
Final Answer:
Helen spent Rs. 1340, so option (2) is correct. \[ \boxed{\text{Option 2: Rs. 1340}} \]
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Pick Helen's amount from the options.
Helen spent Rs. 1340, which is option (2).
Option (1), Rs. 1193, is what Dhenuka spent. Option (3), Rs. 2234, is Archana's amount. Option (4), Rs. 2517, is Shahnaz's amount. Each of these is a real amount from the puzzle but belongs to a different woman, which is the trap.
Final Answer:
Helen spent Rs. 1340, so option (2) is correct. \[ \boxed{\text{Option 2: Rs. 1340}} \]
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Question: 2
Which of the following amounts was spent by one of them?
Which of the following amounts was spent by one of them?
Show Hint
Work out every woman's exact amount first. Then see which option is one of the five amounts and which are only near misses.
Updated On: Nov 7, 2026
- Rs. 1139
- Rs. 1378
- Rs. 2571
- Rs. 2718
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Read the set-up carefully.
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Test each amount in the options.
The five real amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517.
Option (1), Rs. 1139, is on this list (Chellamma). So option (1) is TRUE.
Option (2), Rs. 1378, is only the gap between two women's amounts. Nobody spent exactly this. So option (2) is FALSE.
Option (3), Rs. 2571, looks like 2517 with two digits swapped. It appeared only in the rejected Case 1. So option (3) is FALSE.
Option (4), Rs. 2718, is not on the list. So option (4) is FALSE.
Final Answer:
Rs. 1139 was spent by Chellamma, so option (1) is correct. \[ \boxed{\text{Option 1: Rs. 1139}} \]
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Test each amount in the options.
The five real amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517.
Option (1), Rs. 1139, is on this list (Chellamma). So option (1) is TRUE.
Option (2), Rs. 1378, is only the gap between two women's amounts. Nobody spent exactly this. So option (2) is FALSE.
Option (3), Rs. 2571, looks like 2517 with two digits swapped. It appeared only in the rejected Case 1. So option (3) is FALSE.
Option (4), Rs. 2718, is not on the list. So option (4) is FALSE.
Final Answer:
Rs. 1139 was spent by Chellamma, so option (1) is correct. \[ \boxed{\text{Option 1: Rs. 1139}} \]
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Question: 3
The woman who spent Rs. 1193 is
The woman who spent Rs. 1193 is
Show Hint
Once you know all five amounts, look at who is third to arrive and compare her with the woman who spent 2234 (fact i).
Updated On: Nov 7, 2026
- Archana
- Chellamma
- Dhenuka
- Helen
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Read the set-up carefully.
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Find who spent Rs. 1193.
In the final table Rs. 1193 sits against Dhenuka.
Archana spent 2234, not 1193, so option (1) is wrong. Chellamma spent only 1139, so option (2) is wrong. Helen spent 1340, so option (4) is wrong.
Fact i also supports this: the woman with 2234 (Archana, 1st) arrived before the woman with 1193 (Dhenuka, 3rd).
Final Answer:
The woman who spent Rs. 1193 is Dhenuka, option (3). \[ \boxed{\text{Option 3: Dhenuka}} \]
Five women arrived in this order: Archana (1st), Chellamma (2nd), Dhenuka (3rd), Helen (4th), Shahnaz (5th). Each spent at least Rs. 1000, and Shahnaz spent the most while Chellamma spent the least.
Facts i, ii and iv name four amounts: Rs. 2234, Rs. 1193, Rs. 1340 and Rs. 2517. So four of the five women own these four amounts, and one woman owns a fifth amount that the facts do not name. Our first job is to find that fifth amount.
Step 2: Find Chellamma's amount using fact iii.
Let Chellamma's amount be \(c\) rupees. Fact iii says some woman spent \(c + 1378\). Chellamma spent the smallest amount, so \(c\) is below every other amount.
Case 1: Chellamma owns one of the four named amounts. The smallest named amount is 1193, so \(c = 1193\), and then the woman with \(1193 + 1378 = 2571\) must be the unnamed fifth woman.
Case 2: Chellamma owns the unnamed fifth amount. Then \(c + 1378\) must be one of the four named amounts. Try each: \(2234 - 1378 = 856\) is below Rs. 1000, so it is not allowed. \(1193 - 1378\) and \(1340 - 1378\) are negative. \(2517 - 1378 = 1139\) works. So in Case 2, \(c = 1139\).
Step 3: Throw out Case 1.
In Case 1 the five amounts are 1193, 1340, 2234, 2517 and 2571, with Shahnaz at 2571 and Chellamma (2nd to arrive) at 1193. By fact i the woman with 2234 arrived before the woman with 1193, so she arrived before Chellamma. Only Archana can do that, so Archana has 2234.
Dhenuka and Helen share 1340 and 2517. Fact ii says Dhenuka did not spend 1340, so Dhenuka has 2517 and Helen has 1340. But fact v says Helen spent more than Dhenuka, and 1340 is less than 2517. This is a contradiction, so Case 1 is impossible and Case 2 must hold.
Step 4: Fill in the rest with Case 2.
The five amounts are 1139, 1193, 1340, 2234 and 2517. Chellamma has the smallest, 1139. Shahnaz has the largest, 2517. That leaves 1193, 1340 and 2234 for Archana, Dhenuka and Helen.
Dhenuka cannot have 1340 (fact ii). If Dhenuka had 2234, Helen would need more than 2234, which is not left. So Dhenuka has 1193.
Helen now has 1340 or 2234, and Archana gets the other. Suppose Helen had 2234. Helen arrived 4th and Dhenuka (1193) arrived 3rd, but fact i needs the 2234 woman to come before the 1193 woman. That fails. So Helen has 1340 and Archana has 2234. Archana (1st) is before Dhenuka (3rd), so fact i holds.
Final table: Archana 2234, Chellamma 1139, Dhenuka 1193, Helen 1340, Shahnaz 2517. Every one of facts i to vi is satisfied, and the answer is unique.
Step 5: Find who spent Rs. 1193.
In the final table Rs. 1193 sits against Dhenuka.
Archana spent 2234, not 1193, so option (1) is wrong. Chellamma spent only 1139, so option (2) is wrong. Helen spent 1340, so option (4) is wrong.
Fact i also supports this: the woman with 2234 (Archana, 1st) arrived before the woman with 1193 (Dhenuka, 3rd).
Final Answer:
The woman who spent Rs. 1193 is Dhenuka, option (3). \[ \boxed{\text{Option 3: Dhenuka}} \]
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