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Analytical Aptitude

GATE CSE 2017 Set 2 · Q62

MCQ2 marksMedium

Time

There are three boxes. One contains apples, another contains oranges and the last one contains both apples and oranges. All three are known to be incorrectly labelled. If you are permitted to open just one box and then pull out and inspect only one fruit, which box would you open to determine the contents of all three boxes?

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Solution

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Official answer: B) The box labelled ‘Apples and Oranges’

Analytical Aptitude

Since all three boxes are incorrectly labelled:

  1. Choose the box labelled 'Apples and Oranges'.

  2. Since it is mislabelled, it cannot contain both fruits; it must contain exclusively apples or exclusively oranges.

  3. If you draw an apple, then this box contains only Apples.

    • Now, the box labelled 'Oranges' cannot contain oranges (since it's mislabelled) and cannot contain apples (since they are in the first box). Thus, it must contain Apples and Oranges.

    • The remaining box labelled 'Apples' must contain Oranges.

  4. A completely symmetric logic works if an orange is drawn.

Therefore, opening the box labelled 'Apples and Oranges' uniquely determines the contents of all three boxes.

Hence, option (B) is correct.

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This Analytical Aptitude previous year question is Q62 of the GATE CSE 2017 Set 2 paper. Find more GATE CSE PYQs on Analytical Aptitude in General Aptitude, or browse all GATE CSE PYQs.

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Analytical Aptitude in GATE CSE

Analytical Aptitude has 11 GATE CSE PYQs across 8 papers from 2017 to 2026. 7 of them are 2-mark MCQs like this one, and GATE CSE 2017 Set 2 has 2.

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GateAI solution cardGATE CSE 2017 Set 2 · Q62 · MCQ

There are three boxes. One contains apples, another contains oranges and the last one contains both apples and oranges. All three are known to be incorrectly labelled. If you are permitted to open just one box and then pull out and inspect only one fruit, which box would you open to determine the contents of all three boxes?

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Independent practice explanation verified by the GateAI team. GATE is conducted by the IITs; question text follows the official paper.