This Bankers Tutorial article is independent educational material. Examples are illustrative, and changing rules or examination requirements should be checked at the official source.
01 / UNDERSTANDING
Understand the idea
A chain diagram makes the limit of an ordering visible. It shows where a path supports a comparison and where the available information stops short of establishing a relationship.
02 / UNDERSTANDING
The concept in context
An inequality chain links quantities only when the directions support a valid path. If A is greater than B and B is at least C, A is greater than C. If both A and C exceed B, their relation to each other is not fixed: either could be larger.
Strictness matters. A greater-than-or-equal chain may allow equality, while a strict step can rule it out for an otherwise consistent directed comparison. Test proposed conclusions with sample values when uncertain. A single consistent counterexample disproves a claim that a relation must always follow from the premises.
03 / UNDERSTANDING
A worked learning case
Original educational case. From P > Q ≥ R, P > R follows because P exceeds something no smaller than R. From P > Q < R, however, P and R cannot be ordered. The original examples P=5, Q=2, R=3 and P=3, Q=2, R=5 satisfy the second chain but reverse the P–R comparison.
ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE
Try it before you check.
Original practice: Given A ≥ B and B > C, must A > C follow?
Show the answer and reasoning
Yes.
B is strictly greater than C, and A cannot be smaller than B. Even if A equals B, A still exceeds C; if A is larger than B, it also exceeds C. Thus every permitted case supports A > C. The strict step between B and C prevents equality between A and C.
Two traps to watch for.
- Comparing quantities across a direction change without justification.
- Discarding the equality possibility in a non-strict relation.
YOUR TOPIC-SPECIFIC LEARNING MAP
Turn understanding into practice
Draw arrows from larger to smaller.
Keep equality markers visible.
Search for a counterexample before claiming certainty.
Explain the idea, apply it to a new situation, then check what changed in your reasoning.
BANKERS TUTORIAL · SOURCE NOTES
Keep the source alongside your notes.
Official links provide subject context and authoritative reference material. This guide’s explanation, scenario and question are original Bankers Tutorial learning content.
- sbi.bank.in https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings
- sbi.bank.in https://sbi.bank.in/webfiles/uploads/files_2627/09/SBI_JA-Customer_Support_Sales-IH_Pre-2026-27_Eng.pdf
For SBI preparation, check the current official notice before relying on changing dates, rules or examination requirements.
