Solved Examples Set 1 (Quantitative Ability)

1. Which set of ordered pairs represents a function?

   1. {(−5,5),(4,8),(−5,−6)}
   2. {(−1,−1),(−1,6),(−1,−10)}
   3. {(−3,7),(2,5),(−7,7)}
   4. {(2,3),(−2,4),(−2,−5)}
   5. {(2,3),(3,2),(2,5)}

   For a set of ordered pairs to be a function, no single 𝑥-coordinate can be mapped to two distinct 𝑦-coordinates. This is not the case for option A, where 𝑥=−5 is mapped to both 𝑦=5 and 𝑦=−6. Similarly, in options B (𝑥=−1), D (𝑥=−2), and E (𝑥=2), an 𝑥 value is mapped to two different 𝑦 values.

2. \( {𝑥 - 8 \over 24} = {3 \over 4} \)
   What is the value of 𝑥 in the equation?

   1. 10
   2. 20
   3. 26
   4. 31
   5. 40

   By cross multiplying, 4(𝑥 – 8) =3 × 24. Thus, 4𝑥 – 32 = 72, and so 4𝑥 = 104 and 𝑥 = 26.

3. A man travelled 120 km to a town. He could have reached the town 4 1⁄2 hours earlier had he increased his speed by 3 km/h. Find the speed at which he travelled.

   1. 6.56 km
   2. 7.57 km
   3. 8.58 km
   4. 9.59 km
   5. 5.55 km

   Let the normal speed \(= x \text{ } \frac{km}{hr}\)
   Time taken when travelled at the normal speed \(= \frac{120}{x}\) hr
   Time taken when travelled at the increased speed \(= \frac{120}{x + 3}\) hr
   $$\frac{120} {x} - \frac{120}{x + 3} = 4.5$$ $$120(x + 3) − 120x = 4.5x(x + 3)$$ $$360 = 4.5x(x + 3)$$ $$720 = 9x(x + 3)$$ $$80 = x(x + 3)$$ $$x^2 + 3x - 80 = 0$$ $$x = \frac{-3 \pm \sqrt{3^2-4 × (-80)}}{2} = \frac{-3 \pm \sqrt{329}}{2}$$ $$= \frac{-3 \pm 18.14}{2} = 7.57 \text{ (ignoring the negative value)}$$

4. A girl is 18 years younger than her mother. In 6 years time, the sum of their ages will be 54.How old is the girl now?

   1. 10 years
   2. 11 years
   3. 12 years
   4. 13 years
   5. 14 years

   Let girl's age = x
   then mother's age = x + 18
   After 6 years,
   x + 6 + x + 18 + 6 = 54
   2x + 30 = 54
   2x = 24
   x = 12

5. A man was 32 years old when his daughter was born. He is now five times as old as his daughter. How old is his daughter now?

   1. 7 years
   2. 8 years
   3. 9 years
   4. 10 years
   5. 6 years

   Let's assume the daughter is d years old now. That means that the man is now (32 + d) years old, so that
   (32 + d) = 5d
   32 = 4d
   d = 8

6. After spending 88% of his income, a man had $ 2160 left. Find his income.

   1. $ 18000
   2. $ 19000
   3. $ 20000
   4. $ 22000
   5. $ 17000

   Let income = x
   x = 88% of x + 2160
   x - 0.88x = 2160
   0.12x = 2160
   x = \(216000 \over 12\) = 18000

7. 72 + 679 + 1439 + 537+ ? = 4036

   1. 1309
   2. 1208
   3. 2308
   4. 2423
   5. 1309

   72 + 679 + 1439 + 537+ ? = 4036
   2727 + ? = 4036
   ? = 4036 - 2727 = 1309

8. A man bought a flat for $ 820000. He borrowed 55% of this money from a bank. How much money did he borrow from the bank?

   1. $ 451000
   2. $ 452000
   3. $ 453000
   4. $ 454000
   5. $ 450000

   55% of 820000 = 0.55 × 820000 = $ 451000

9. Rashid's salary was reduced by 20%. In order to restore his salary at the original amount, it must be raised by

   1. 20%
   2. 22.50%
   3. 25%
   4. 26%
   5. 27%

   Let Rashid's Salary 100
   20% reduced salary is 80
   As the reduced amount is 20
   So what percentage of the present sallary is required to be equal to 20?
   ?% of 80 = 20
   ? = \(20 \over 80\) × 100 = 25%

10. A bank exchanges British currency for Singapore currency at the rate of S$ 3.20 to pond 1. Calculate, in Pond, the amount exchanged for S$ 1,600 by a customer who also had to pay an extra 3% commission for this transaction.

    1. Pond 475
    2. Pond 485
    3. Pond 495
    4. Pond 505
    5. Pond 510

    As commission is 3% of 1600 = 0.03 × 1600 = S$ 48
    the rest amount = 1600 - 48 = S$ 1552
    S$ 1 = \(1 \over 3.20\) = Pond 0.3125
    Now S$ 1552 = 1552 × 0.3125 = Pond 485

11. How much would I have to pay for a book which cost $ 72 to product, if the printing company sold it to a bookseller at 20% profit and in return the bookseller sold it to me at a profit of 25%?

    1. $ 104
    2. $ 106
    3. $ 108
    4. $ 110
    5. $ 109

    Cost of the book product = $ 72
    Profit of printing company = 20% of 72 = 0.2 x 72 = 14.4
    Now the cost of the book = 72 +14.4 = $ 86.4
    Profit of the bookseller = 25% of 86.4 = 21.4
    Finally, the cost of the book = 86.4 + 21.4 = $ 108

12. 8 : ? :: 1 : 4

    1. 24
    2. 16
    3. 0
    4. 32
    5. 20

    ? × 1 = 8 × 4
    ? = 32

13. A can do a piece of work in 10 days and B can do it in 15 days. The number of days required by them to finish it, working together is

    1. 8
    2. 7
    3. 6
    4. 4
    5. 3

    A's 1 day work = \(1 \over 10\)
    B's 1 day work = \(1 \over 15\)
    Now both A and B's 1 day work = \({1 \over 10} + {1 \over 15}\) = \(3 + 2 \over 30\) = \(1 \over 6\)
    Hence the work by both A and B will be completed in 6 days.

14. A shop owner blends three types of coffees, A, B and C, in the ratio 3:5:7. Given that type A coffee costs $ 70 per kg, type B coffee costs $ 100 per kg and type C coffee costs $ 130 per kg, calculate the cost per kg of the blended mixture.

    1. $ 106
    2. $ 108
    3. $ 109
    4. $ 110
    5. $ 105

    Cost per kg = 70 x 1/5 + 100 x 1/3 + 130 x 7/15 = $ 108 per kg

15. 40 men can build a wall 4 metres high in 15 days. The number of men required to build a similar wall 5 metres high in 6 days is

    1. 115
    2. 125
    3. 105
    4. 135
    5. 130

    \( 40 × 15 × 5 \over 6 × 4 \) = 125 men

16. A certain number was doubled and the result then multiplied by 3. If the product was 138, find the number.

    1. 21
    2. 23
    3. 25
    4. 27
    5. 19

    Let x be the number
    the number is doubled, 2x
    the result is multiplied by 3, 3 × 2x = 6x
    6x = 138
    x = \(138 \over 6\) = 23

17. A retailer bought a compact disc from a manufacturer for $ 200. In addition to that, he paid a 15% sales tax. If he sold the disc to a customer for $ 260, calculate the cash profit he made.

    1. $ 30.00
    2. $ 35.00
    3. $ 32.50
    4. $ 28.00
    5. $ 30.50

    price of a compact disc with sales tax = 200 + 0.15 × 200
    = 200 + 30 = $ 230
    As the selling price of the disc = $ 260
    Hence, cash profit = 260 - 230 = $ 30

18. A person's net income is $ 1373.70 and he pays an income tax of 5%. His gross income in dollars must be

    1. 1446
    2. 1118.96
    3. 1308.29
    4. 1438.25
    5. 1211.21

    Let gross income in dollars = x
    then according to the statement,
    x = 5% of x + 1373.70
    x - 0.05x = 1373.70
    0.95x = 1373.70
    x = \(137370 \over 95\) = 1446

19. 5789 - 2936 + 1089 = ?

    1. 3942
    2. 4041
    3. 2626
    4. 3932
    5. 3940

    5789 - 2936 + 1089 = 6878 - 2936 = 3942

20. If 4a + 2 = 10, then 8a + 4 =

    1. 5
    2. 16
    3. 20
    4. 24
    5. 28

    One may answer this question by solving
    4a + 2 = 10
    4a = 8
    a= 2
    Now, plugging in 2 for a:
    8a + 4 = 8(2) + 4 = 20
    A faster way of solving this is to see the relationship between the quantity 4a + 2 (which equals 10) and 8a + 4. Since 8a + 4 is twice 4a + 2, the answer must be twice 10, or 20.

Solved Examples Set 1
Solved Examples Set 2
Solved Examples Set 3