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. If 3x = −9, then 3x³ − 2x + 4 =

   1. -83
   2. -71
   3. -47
   4. -17
   5. 61

   First solving 3x = −9, x = −3. Now plug into 3x³ − 2x + 4:
   3x³ − 2x + 4
   = 3(-3)³ − 2(-2) + 4
   = 3(−27) + 6 + 4
   = −81 + 6 + 4
   = −71

3. 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

4. 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.

5. A shopkeeper buys 300 identical articles at a total cost of $ 1500. He fixes the selling price of each article at 20% above the cost price and sells 260 articles at the price. As for the remaining articles, he sells them at 50% of the selling price. Calculate the shopkeeper's total profit.

   1. $ 180
   2. $ 185
   3. $ 200
   4. $ 190
   5. $ 170

   cost price of each item = \( 1500 \over 300 \) = $ 5
   selling price at 20% above the cost price = 5 + 5 × .2 = $ 6
   selling price of 260 items = 260 × 6 = $ 1560
   selling price of remaining 40 items = 40 × 6 × .5 = $ 120
   Total profit = 1560 + 120 - 1500 = $ 180

6. The amount of hot cocoa powder remaining in a can is 6 1⁄4 tablespoons. A single serving consists of 1 3⁄4 tablespoons of the powder. What is the total number of servings of the powder remaining in the can?

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

   As \(6\frac{1}{4} = \frac{25}{4}\) and \(1\frac{3}{4} = \frac{7}{4}\). Therefore,
   \(\frac{6\frac{1}{4} \text{ tsp}}{1\frac{3}{4} \text{ } \frac{tsp}{ serving}} = \frac{\frac{25}{4}}{\frac{7}{4}} \text{ servings} = \frac{25}{7} \text{ servings} = 3\frac{4}{7} \text{ servings}\)

7. Which expression is equivalent to \(\frac{6𝑥^2 + 4𝑥}{2𝑥}\)?

   1. 7x
   2. 5x²
   3. 3x + 2
   4. 6x² + 2
   5. 3x² + 2x

   As \(\frac{6𝑥^2}{2𝑥} = 3𝑥,\) and \(\frac{4𝑥}{2𝑥} = 2,\) so then \(\frac{6𝑥^2 + 4𝑥}{2𝑥} = 3𝑥 + 2\)

8. \( {63.84 \over ?} \) = 21

   1. 3.04
   2. 3.4
   3. 30.4
   4. 300.4
   5. 0.304

   ? = \( 63.84 \over 21 \) = 3.04

9. 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

10. \( {1250 \over 25} × 0.5 = ? \)

    1. 250
    2. 50
    3. 2.5
    4. 25
    5. 125

    \( {1250 \over 25} × 0.5 = 50 × 0.5 = 25 \)

11. 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

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. 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

15. A single discount equivalent to a discount series of 20%, 10% and 25% is

    1. 55%
    2. 54%
    3. 46%
    4. 42%
    5. 50%

    If 3 succesive discounts are a%, b% and c%
    then single discount = a + b + c – (\(ab \over 100 \) + \(bc \over 100\) + \(ca \over 100 \) – \(abc \over 10000 \))
    a = 20, b = 10, c = 25, solving we get, 46%.

16. 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

17. 5789 - 2936 + 1089 = ?

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

    5789 - 2936 + 1089 = 6878 - 2936 = 3942

18. A fruit-seller has 120 oranges. Given that he has 20% more apples than oranges and 40% less oranges than pears, find the number of apples and the number of pears the fruit seller has.

    1. 144, 200
    2. 148, 380
    3. 149, 220
    4. 140, 190
    5. 142, 190

    No. of apples = 120 + 20% of 120 = 120 + 0.2 × 120 = 144
    
    Let x = No. of pears
    x - 40% of x = 120
    x - 0.4x = 120
    0.6x = 120
    x = \(120 \over 0.6\) = 200
    Hence, no. of pears = 200

19. 350 × ? = 4200

    1. 12
    2. 24
    3. 15
    4. 30
    5. 16

    \( ? = {4200 \over 350} =12 \)

20. 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

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