Understanding Family Relationships: The Only Son's Legacy

One day, Lata pointed to a photograph and said, 'He is the son of the only son of my grandfather.' How is the man in the photograph related to Lata if we consider the two answers: brother or cousin?

The Context and Clarity

From the question, it is clear that Lata's statement refers to someone who is a son of the only son of her grandfather. This means that there is no girl child in this lineage, thus the only son must be the son of her father. The question now arises, how can someone be a brother and a cousin at the same time, given these specific relationships?

Family Lineage Analysis

To break this down, let's consider the family lineage:

Grandfather - This is Lata's paternal grandfather, the father of her father. Only son - This is Lata's father. Man in the photograph - This person is the son of Lata's father.

Two Possibilities Explained

The two answers provided are:

1. Brother

The man in the photograph could be Lata's brother, as he is the son of Lata's father (Lata's only brother or the brother of her other siblings, if she has any).

2. Cousin

The man in the photograph could also be a cousin if he is the son of someone else who is a sibling of Lata's father. In this scenario, the man in the photograph would be the child of one of Lata's father's brothers or sisters.

The Right Answer

The question doesn't explicitly state that there are no other siblings of Lata's father. If Lata's father has siblings (whether male or female), and if any of these siblings have children, then the man in the photograph could be one of Lata's cousins. However, if Lata's father is the only child of her grandfather and the man in the photograph shares the same parent (Lata's father), then the man is indeed Lata's brother.

Limiting the Possibilities

Given the context that 'the only son of my grandfather' is mentioned, it simplifies the scenario. If we are to assume that only Lata's direct line has children, then:

If Lata's father has brothers or sisters, but has no children with them, then the only son of Lata's father would also be the only child of Lata's paternal lineage, making him a brother. If Lata's father has siblings who have children, then the man in the photograph would be a cousin.

Conclusion

The most straightforward answer is that the man in the photograph is Lata's brother if Lata's father has no other children. If there is a sibling who has children, then the man in the photograph could be a cousin to Lata. The true nature of the relationship (brother or cousin) depends on whether Lata's father has any siblings with children, which is not explicitly mentioned in the question.