The temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong is ……….. the temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai:

(a) Greater than
(b) Smaller than
(c) Equal to
(d) Can’t be determined

Hint: In the given question, we have to compare the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong to Shillong and Mumbai. From the figure given in the question, you can see that on the temperature line, Shillong points at -4 and Gangtok points at -12 so the difference between them is 8. Similarly, on the temperature line you can see that Mumbai points at 24 and Shillong points at -4 so the difference between them is 28. On comparing the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong to Shillong and Mumbai we have found that the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong is less than that of Shillong and Mumbai.

Complete step-by-step answer:
The figure given in the question is:

From the figure, we are asked to compare the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong with Shillong and Mumbai.
From the figure, you can see that on the temperature line, Gangtok is pointing at -12 and Shillong is pointing at -4 so the difference between them will be 8.
From the figure, you can also see that on the temperature line, Mumbai is pointing at the point E which is at 24 units of temperature from right of the point 0 and Shillong is pointing at the point A which is at 4 units of temperature on the left side of 0 so the temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai is 28.
From the above discussion, we have found that:
The temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong is equal to 8.
The temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai is equal to 28.
From the above, we can say that the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong is smaller than the temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai.
Hence, the correct option is (b).

Note: Without calculating the temperature differences we can still compare the temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong and the temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai by simply visualizing the gap between the two points in the given figure.

As you can see from the figure that gap between Gangtok and Shillong is smaller than the gap between Shillong and Mumbai and as the number line is representing the temperatures so we can infer from here that temperature difference between Gangtok and Shillong is smaller than the temperature difference between Shillong and Mumbai.