Question

Four people P, Q, R, and S, of different ages, make the following observations.
P: I am younger than S.
Q: I am neither the youngest nor the oldest.
R: P is older than me.
Based on these observations, the youngest person is ______.

• A. P
• B. Q
• C. R
• D. S

Hint:

Combine P's and R's statements to get R younger than P younger than S, then use Q's statement to rule Q out of the youngest spot.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Turn each statement into an age comparison.
P says "I am younger than S", so P is below S in age.
R says "P is older than me", so P is above R in age, which means R is younger than P.
Putting these two together in one line: R is younger than P, and P is younger than S.

Step 2: Chain the comparisons.
From the two facts above we get the order R, then P, then S, going from younger to older:
\[ R < P < S \]
So among these three people, R is currently the youngest.

Step 3: Place Q using Q's own statement.
Q says Q is neither the youngest nor the oldest of the whole group of four. That rules out Q being the overall youngest.
Since R is already the smallest value among R, P and S, and Q cannot be smaller than everyone (Q is not the youngest), Q must sit somewhere above R, for example between R and P, or between P and S.

Step 4: Identify the overall youngest.
With Q ruled out from the bottom spot, R stays the smallest of all four people.

Final Answer:
R is the youngest person, so the correct option is (C). Option (A), P, is wrong since R is younger than P. Option (B), Q, is wrong because Q directly says Q is not the youngest. Option (D), S, is wrong since S is the oldest of the three linked by the first two statements.
\[ \boxed{R} \]