What do I call this family member?

Sorry for asking homework, but this question is really confusing; I think the answer is some type of cousin, but I don't know if it's first, second, third, etc. and once removed, twice removed, etc.

I have simplified and rephrased the question below:

Your brother has died and left his wife widowed. Your maternal aunt has also died and left her husband widowed. If the widow and the widower marry and have children then what is the relationship of those children to you?

(The state of homework these days...)

Solution 1:

Brothers widow = Sister-in-law

Maternal aunt's widow = Uncle

Uncle + Sister in Law.

Normally your uncle's children would be your 1st cousins, and your sister-in-law's kids would be your nieces or nephews.

My initial thought would be that those kids would technically be your first cousin and niece/nephew.

If your sister-in-law re-marries, she would no longer be your sister-in-law and instead would become an aunt I think.

However, the uncle is also an uncle by marriage so that too would be nullified by remarriage. So actually, I don't think the kids would be considered any relation to you at all. Certainly not by blood.

I admit that's something of a guess though, so happy to be proved wrong!

Also, here's a handy chart...

Solution 2:

If your mom's late sister's husband marries your late brother's wife, then two people with no blood relation to you are having kids. The technical answer is that those kids are of no relation to you. They are not your cousins, nor your nieces and nephews.

I think possibly "step-cousin" or "step-nephew" to try to pin it down informally. You might also use "my former sister-in-law's kids" (clearly implying "i.e. not my brother's kids"), in this case the dad being farther removed and not mentioned. Following @tchrist's lead, they perhaps ought to refer to you as you 'Aunt/Uncle {Name}'.

Since this was homework, I wonder what your teacher thought the answer was.