H P ≤ E E. II: H R.

Solution: only I. F ≥ V R = L E; H is cut off at P.

M = V; R ≥ S; V A; R ≤ U. I: U S. II: R = S. III: R S.

Solution: either II or III. U ≥ R ≥ S gives only U ≥ S; R ≥ S splits into R = S or R S.

A U ≤ B S ≥ V. I: U V. II: B D.

Solution: only II and III. B C ≥ D; U and V both sit below S.

What are the common traps in Coded inequalities (A@B...) questions?

≥ is not . A chain of ≥ signs never proves a strict conclusion. Wrong turn. Two letters both below a third are not linked. Either-or misuse. It needs the same two letters and neither conclusion true alone.

Start here · the first lesson of Coded inequalities (A@B...)

Coded inequalities (A@B...)

Mathematical Operations, Coded Inequalities, Missing Number · for IPMAT Indore, IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT

The idea

Statements give a chain of inequalities (directly, or through coded symbols such as A @ B for A > B), and you decide which conclusions follow for certain. Rohtak 2019 asked two (Q29, Q30) and JIPMAT 2021 one (Q10). A conclusion follows only if one chain of the statements links its two letters with every sign pointing the same way.

Textbook vs exam method

Textbook method

Decode symbols if needed.
For each conclusion, look for a chain from one letter to the other.
If all signs on the chain point the same way, the conclusion's sign is fixed: strict if any sign is strict, otherwise ≥ / ≤ / =.
If no such chain exists, the conclusion does not follow; then check pairs of conclusions about the same two letters for either-or.

Exam method

Chain. F ≥ V > R = L > E → F > E.JIPMAT 2021
Break. H > P ≤ E: the sign turns at P, so H and R are not linked.
Either-or. R ≥ S → "R = S" or "R > S".Rohtak 2019
Symbol-fill. to make B < E definite through "B ? C ≤ D < E", the ? must be ≤ or =; test each option.