Identification: nasal index in race determination: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Identification: nasal index in race determination

Sample item

A skull has a nasal height of 50 mm and a nasal breadth of 22 mm. What is the nasal index, and what does it suggest?

A56, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Mongoloid typeB44, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Caucasoid typeC44, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid typeD56, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid type

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. 44, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Caucasoid type

Nasal index is breadth divided by height multiplied by 100, here 22 divided by 50 giving 44. Values below about 48 are leptorrhine (narrow nose, usually Caucasoid), 48 to 53 are mesorrhine, and above 53 are platyrrhine (broad nose, usually Negroid). Racial assignment from one index is only indicative.

Option by option

A. 56, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Mongoloid type
56 is not the correct index, and a narrow nose is not typical of the Mongoloid type.
B. 44, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Caucasoid type (correct)
Correct. The index is 44, which is leptorrhine.
C. 44, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid type
The value is correct but 44 is not platyrrhine, which needs more than 53.
D. 56, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid type
The index is breadth over height times 100, which gives 44 and not 56, and 56 would also not be leptorrhine-Mongoloid.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, 44, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Caucasoid type. Nasal index is breadth divided by height multiplied by 100, here 22 divided by 50 giving 44.

Why is "56, leptorrhine, which is consistent with the Mongoloid type" not the answer?

56 is not the correct index, and a narrow nose is not typical of the Mongoloid type.

Why is "44, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid type" not the answer?

The value is correct but 44 is not platyrrhine, which needs more than 53.

Why is "56, platyrrhine, which is consistent with the Negroid type" not the answer?

The index is breadth over height times 100, which gives 44 and not 56, and 56 would also not be leptorrhine-Mongoloid.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Identification: nasal index in race determination in Forensic Medicine. Values below about 48 are leptorrhine (narrow nose, usually Caucasoid), 48 to 53 are mesorrhine, and above 53 are platyrrhine (broad nose, usually Negroid). Racial assignment from one index is only indicative.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Identification: nasal index in race determination?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.