Solved Examples Set 1 (Quantitative Ability)

1. 
   In the figure above, AB is one edge of a cube. If AB equals 5, what is the surface area of the cube?

   1. 25
   2. 100
   3. 125
   4. 150
   5. 300

   Since one edge of the cube is 5, all edges equal 5. Therefore, the area of one face of the cube is:
   5 × 5 = 25
   Since a cube has 6 equal faces, its surface area will be:
   6 × 25 = 150

2. A group of laborers accepted to do a piece of work in 20 days. 8 of them did not turn up for the work and the remaining did the work in 24 days. The original number of laborers was

   1. 47
   2. 48
   3. 49
   4. 50
   5. 51

   x laborers do work in 20 days and x-8 laborers do same work in 24 days. As the no. of laborers decrease, the no. of days increased then it becomes as
   x : x - 8 :: 24 : 20
   product of interiors = product of exteriors
   24x - 192 = 20x
   4x = 192
   x = 48

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. 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

5. A man pays 10% of his income for his income tax. If his income tax amounts to $ 1500, what is his income?

   1. $ 13000
   2. $ 15000
   3. $ 17000
   4. $ 19000
   5. $ 11000

   Let x = income
   10% of x = $ 1500
   0.1x = $ 1500
   x = \(1500 \over 0.1\) = $ 15000

6. A man walked for 3 hours at 4.5 km/h and cycled for some time at 15 km/h. Altogether, he traveled 21 km. Find the time taken for cycling.

   1. 1/2 hour
   2. 1 hour
   3. 1 1⁄2 hours
   4. 2 hours
   5. 2 1⁄2 hours

   The man walked the distance = 3 x 4.5 = 13.5 km. The distance cycled by the man = 21 - 13.5 = 7.5 km
   As he cyled 15 km in 1 h
   he cycled 1 km in 1/15 h
   Finally, he cycled 7.5 km in 7.5/15 = 1/2 h

7. 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.

8. A primary school had an enrollment of 850 pupils in January 1970. In January 1980 the enrollment was 1,120. What was the percentage increase for the enrollment?

   1. 31.76%
   2. 33.50%
   3. 30.65%
   4. 34.76%
   5. 30.55%

   Percentage increase for the enrollment = \(1120 - 850 \over 850\) × 100 = 31.76

9. 5.41 - 3.29 × 1.6 = ?

   1. 14.6
   2. 0.3392
   3. 0.146
   4. 3.392
   5. 1.46

   5.41 - 3.29 × 1.6 = 5.41 - 5.264 = 0.146

10. A and B enter into a partnership contributing $ 800 and $ 1000 respectively. At the end of 6 months they admit C, who contributes $ 600. After 3 years they get a profit of $ 966. Find the share of each partner in the profit.

    1. $ 336, $ 420, $ 210
    2. $ 360, $ 400, $ 206
    3. $ 380, $ 390, $ 196
    4. $ 345, $ 405, $ 210
    5. $ 325, $ 400, $ 200

    A shares = 800 × 3 = 2400
    B shares = 1000 × 3 = 3000
    C shares = 600 × 2 1⁄2 = 1500
    Total shares = 2400 + 3000 + 1500 = 6900
    A's profit = \(2400 \over 6900 \) × 966 = $ 336
    B's profit = \(3000 \over 6900 \) × 966 = $ 420
    C's profit = \(1500 \over 6900 \) × 966 = $ 210

11. A train takes 50 minutes for a journey if it runs at 48 km/hr. The rate at which the train must run to reduce the time to 40 minutes will be

    1. 50 km/hr
    2. 55 km/hr
    3. 60 km/hr
    4. 57 km/hr
    5. 65 km/hr

    \(50 × 48 \over 40\) = 60 \(km \over hr\)

12. ?% of 60 = 24

    1. 40
    2. 48
    3. 45
    4. 42
    5. 38

    ?% × 60 = 24
    \(? = {24 \over 60} × 100 \) = 40

13. By selling 60 chairs, a man gains an amount equal to selling price of 10 chairs. The profit percentage in the transaction is

    1. 10%
    2. 15%
    3. 16.67%
    4. 20%
    5. 22%

    selling price of 60 chairs = selling price of 10 chairs
    profit of 60 chairs = profit of 10 chairs
    profit of 6 chairs = profit of 1 chair
    profit of 1 chair = profit of 1/6 chair
    profit %age = 1/6 x 100 = 16.67%

14. 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

15. 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

16. Which of the following is the largest?

    1. half of 30% of 280
    2. one-third of 70% of 160
    3. twice 50% of 30
    4. three times 40% of 40
    5. 60% of 60

    Let us calculate the value of each:
    A. 0.5 × 0.3 × 280 = 42
    B. 0.33 × 0.7 × 160 = 36.96
    C. 2 × 0.5 × 30 = 30
    D. 3 × 0.4 × 40 = 48
    E. 0.6 × 60 = 36

17. 15 men can complete a job in 10 days. How long will it take 8 men to finish the same job if they work at the same rate?

    1. 14 3⁄4 days
    2. 16 3⁄4 days
    3. 18 3⁄4 days
    4. 20 3⁄4 days
    5. 22 3⁄4 days

    \( 15 × 10 \over 8 \) = 18 3⁄4 days

18. \(25 \text{% of }{4 \over 4\text{%}} \text{ of }{1 \over 25} = ?\)

    1. 1
    2. 3
    3. 0
    4. 67
    5. 25

    \(25 \text{% of }{4 \over 4\text{%}} \text{ of }{1 \over 25}\)
    \(= 25 \text{% } × {4 \over 4\text{%}} × {1 \over 25} \)
    \(= 0.25 × {4 \over 0.04} × {1 \over 25}\)
    \(= {25 \over 25}\)
    = 1

19. A certain solution is to be prepared by combining chemicals X, Y and Z in the ratio 18:3:2. How many liters of the solution can be prepared by using 36 liters of X?

    1. 46 liters
    2. 47 liters
    3. 45 liters
    4. 49 liters
    5. 44 liters

    As total ratio is 18 +3 + 2 = 23
    Let total solution is x liters
    Then \(18 \over 23\) x = 36
    x = \(36 × 23 \over 18\) = 46 liters

20. Matthew’s age (𝑚) is three years more than twice Rita’s age (𝑟). Which equation shows the relationship between their ages?

    1. 𝑚 = 𝑟 − 32
    2. 𝑚 = 𝑟 + 32
    3. 𝑚 = 2(𝑟 + 3)
    4. 𝑚 = 2𝑟 − 3
    5. 𝑚 = 2𝑟 + 3

    As Matthew's age (𝑚) is three more years (+3) than twice Rita's age (2𝑟). Therefore, 𝑚 = 2𝑟 + 3.

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