Explanations:The question asks which city among the given options is nearest to Chennai. To understand this, we need to consider the geographical layout of South India. Chennai is the capital city of Tamil Nadu and is located on the eastern coast of India, near the Bay of Bengal.
Let's examine the locations of the cities mentioned in the options:
1. Madurai: This city is located in the southern part of Tamil Nadu, approximately 450 km southwest of Chennai. It is a significant city in Tamil Nadu but is not the nearest to Chennai among the given options.
2. Hyderabad: This city is the capital of Telangana, which is located to the northwest of Chennai. The distance between Chennai and Hyderabad is approximately 650 km, making it the farthest city from Chennai among the given options.
3. Bengaluru: This city is the capital of Karnataka and is located approximately 350 km from Chennai. It is the nearest city to Chennai among the given options. Bengaluru is situated to the west of Chennai and is a major city in South India.
4. Ernakulam (Kochi): This city is located in the state of Kerala, which is to the southwest of Chennai. The distance between Chennai and Ernakulam is approximately 450 km, making it farther from Chennai than Bengaluru.
By considering the relative positions and distances of these cities, it is clear that Bengaluru is the nearest city to Chennai. This question tests the geographical knowledge of the student and their ability to understand the layout of South India. It is important to have a good grasp of the geographical positions of major cities in India, especially for competitive examinations where such questions are common.