Solved Examples Set 1 (Quantitative Ability)

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 1015 / 0.05 / 40 = ?

   1. 50.75
   2. 507.5
   3. 506
   4. 2056
   5. 5075

   1015 / 0.05 / 40 = 20300 / 40 = 507.5

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. ?% of 60 = 24

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

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

11. 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,
    \(\frac{6\frac{1}{4} \text{ tsp}}{1\frac{3}{4} \text{ } \frac{tsp}{ serving}} = \frac{\frac{25}{4}}{\frac{7}{4}} \text{ servings} = \frac{25}{7} \text{ servings} = 3\frac{4}{7} \text{ servings}\)

12. 42.98 + ? = 107.87

    1. 64.89
    2. 65.89
    3. 64.98
    4. 65.81
    5. 63.89

    ? = 107.87 - 42.98 = 64.89

13. A shopkeeper bought a radio from a wholesaler for $ 250.00. In addition, he paid a sales tax of 15% on the cost price. He then sold the radio for $ 315.00. Calculate the cash profit made by the shopkeeper.

    1. $ 20.00
    2. $ 22.50
    3. $ 25.00
    4. $ 27.50
    5. $ 27.00

    cost price = $ 250
    sales tax = .15 × 250 = $ 37.5
    cash profit = 315 - 250 - 37.5 = $ 27.5

14. 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

15. 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

16. 40 arithmetic questions, each carrying equal marks, were given in a class test. A boy answered 25 questions correctly. What percentage was this? To pass a test a student must answer at least 45% of the questions correctly. Find the least number of correct answers needed to pass.

    1. 62.5%, 18
    2. 63.5%, 16
    3. 64.5%, 20
    4. 61.0%, 21
    5. 60.0%, 22

    \(x \text{% of } 40 = 25\)
    \(x \text{% } × 40 = 25\)
    \(x = {25 \over 40} × 100 \)
    x = 62.5
    
    \(x = 45 \text{% of } 40 \)
    \(x = 0.45 × 40 \)
    x = 18

17. \( {5.76 \over 1.6} - 2.4 = ? \)

    1. 1.2
    2. 2.4
    3. 7.2
    4. 0.12
    5. 0.012

    \( {5.76 \over 1.6} - 2.4 = \) 3.6 - 2.4 =1.2

18. 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

19. Which of the following expressions is equivalent to \(\frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 1}{𝑥 + 1}\)?

    1. x + 2
    2. 𝑥 + 3
    3. 𝑥 + 2 - 1/(𝑥 + 1)
    4. 𝑥 + 3 + 1/(𝑥 + 1)
    5. 𝑥 + 4 + 5/(𝑥 + 1)

    As \(𝑥^2 + 3x + 1 = (𝑥^2 + 3x + 2) -1\)
    and
    \(\frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 2}{x + 1} = \frac{(𝑥 + 2)(x + 1)}{x + 1} = 𝑥 + 2\)
    Therefore,
    \(\frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 1}{x + 1} = \frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 2}{x + 1} - \frac{1}{x + 1} = (𝑥 + 2) - \frac{1}{x + 1}\)

20. 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

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