Among five friends A, B, C, D and E (each earning a different amount), who earns the least?
Statements
I: A earns more than C, D and B.
II: D earns more than only C.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → If the data in statement II alone is sufficient to answer the question.
In data sufficiency, each statement is first tested on its own; the two are combined only if neither is enough by itself.
I: A earns more than C, D and B. This only says that A is not the lowest. It tells nothing about E, or about the order of B, C and D among themselves, so the lowest earner cannot be found.
II: D earns more than only C. “Only C” means that C is the one person who earns less than D, and everyone else earns more than D. So D is second from the bottom and C earns the least. Statement II alone answers the question.