A library waives (cancels) the late fee for a book when all three of these conditions hold, and in no other case: (i) the book is returned not more than 7 days after its due date; (ii) the member has not been given a waiver in the last 12 months; (iii) the delay was caused by the member’s illness or by a family emergency. Which of the following members will get the late fee waived?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Ishaan returns his book 5 days after the due date because he was in hospital with jaundice. His last waiver was given two years ago.
The fee is waived only when all three conditions hold: (i) not more than 7 days late, (ii) no waiver in the last 12 months, (iii) the delay was due to illness or a family emergency.
Ishaan is 5 days late (not more than 7), his last waiver was two years ago (not within 12 months), and the delay was due to illness (hospital stay with jaundice). All three conditions hold.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) Meera returns her book 3 days after the due date because she had typhoid. She was given a waiver four months ago. — Incorrect. Meera had a waiver four months ago, which is within the last 12 months, so condition (ii) fails.
Option (3) Arun returns his book 10 days after the due date because he had to travel for his grandfather’s funeral. He has never been given a waiver. — Incorrect. Arun is 10 days late, more than 7 days, so condition (i) fails.
Option (4) Sana returns her book 2 days after the due date because she forgot about it. She has never been given a waiver. — Incorrect. Forgetting is neither illness nor a family emergency, so condition (iii) fails.