Solution

To find out who is the shortest among Shamita, Tanya, and Rekha, let's analyze the information provided in both statements: Statement I: • Shamita is taller than Rekha. • Rekha is shorter than Tanya. From these pieces of information, we can deduce the following order of height (from tallest to shortest): Tanya > Shamita > Rekha. Therefore, Rekha is the shortest. Statement I alone is sufficient to answer the question. Statement II: • Rekha is shorter than Surbhi. • Surbhi is taller than Shamita. • Tanya is shorter than Surbhi. From Statement II, we get the following information: Surbhi is taller than Shamita, Tanya, and Rekha. However, the relative heights of Shamita, Tanya, and Rekha to each other are not clearly outlined in this comparison to Surbhi. Despite this, because we know from Statement I (which we are considering now in hindsight for the sake of argument) that Rekha is the shortest among the three, Statement II gives us additional information but is not needed to answer the question based on the requirement. Given the context of choosing an answer that fits best based on the provided options and the instructions: • Statement I alone gives us a direct comparison among Shamita, Tanya, and Rekha, making it sufficient to determine that Rekha is the shortest. • Statement II introduces Surbhi into the comparison, and while it does establish a hierarchy, it does not directly compare Shamita, Tanya, and Rekha in a way that answers the question without relying on the information from Statement I. Therefore, the correct answer is: (A) Statement I alone is sufficient to answer the question, whereas Statement II alone is not sufficient to answer the question.