Solved Examples Set 2 (Quantitative Ability)

1. By selling a fan for $ 475, a person loses 5%. To get a gain of 5%, he should sell the fan for:

   1. $ 500
   2. $ 525
   3. $ 535
   4. $ 575
   5. $ 505

   cost price = 100/(100 - 5) x 475 = $ 500
   sale price = (100 + 5)/100 x 500 = $ 525

2. 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

3. 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,
   \(\frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 1}{x + 1} = \frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 2}{x + 1} - \frac{1}{x + 1} = (𝑥 + 2) - \frac{1}{x + 1}\)

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

5. 12% of ________ = 48

   1. 250
   2. 100
   3. 400
   4. 200
   5. 300

   \(12 \text{% of } x = 48\)
   \(0.12x = 48\)
   \(x = \frac{48}{0.12} = 400\)

6. A boy scored 90 marks for his mathematics test. This was 20% more than what he had scored for the geography test. How much did he score in geography?

   1. 71 marks
   2. 73 marks
   3. 75 marks
   4. 77 marks
   5. 78 marks

   20% of x + x = 90
   0.2x + x = 90
   1.2x = 90
   x = \(90 \over 1.2\)
   x = 75

7. \(\frac{\frac{7}{10} × 14 × 5 × \frac{1}{28}}{\frac{10}{17} × \frac{3}{5} × \frac{1}{6} × 17} = \)

   1. 4/7
   2. 1
   3. 7/4
   4. 2
   5. 17/4

   

8. A third-grade class is composed of 16 girls and 12 boys. There are 2 teacher-aides in the class. The ratio of girls to boys to teacher-aides is

   1. 16:12:1
   2. 8:6:2
   3. 8:6:1
   4. 8:3:1
   5. 4:3:1

   Girls to boys to teacher-aides are in proportion 16 to 12 to 2. Reduced to lowest terms, 16:12:2 equals 8:6:1.

9. 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

10. At a book fair, a book was reduced in price from $ 75 to $ 60. If the first price gives a 50% profit, find the percentage profit of the book sold at the reduced price.

    1. 20%
    2. 30%
    3. 40%
    4. 50%
    5. 10%

    As $ 75 (first price) gives a profit = 50%
    $ 1 gives a profit = (50/75)%
    $ 60 (reduced price) gives profit = (50/75 x 60)% = 40%

11. if a > b and b > c then:

    1. a = c
    2. a > c
    3. c > a
    4. a < c
    5. none

    As a > b > c so a > c

12. 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

13. \( {5.76 \over 1.6} - 2.4 = ? \)

    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

14. 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.

15. A bank increased the rate of interest which it paid to depositors from 3.5% to 4% per annum. Find how much more interest a man would receive if he deposited $ 64000 in the bank for 6 months at the new interest rate

    1. $ 160
    2. $ 180
    3. $ 200
    4. $ 220
    5. $ 150

    If the interest rate is 3.5% then interest amount is
    3.5% of 6400 = 0.035 × 6400 = $ 2240
    If the interest rate is 4% then interest amount is
    4% of 6400 = 0.04 × 6400 = $ 2560
    Now the difference of both interests = 2560 - 2240 = $ 320 per annum
    Interest for half year (6 months) = \(320 \over 2\) = $ 160

16. \( {0.027 \over 90} = ? \)

    1. 0.0003
    2. 0.03
    3. 3
    4. 0.00003
    5. 0.003

    \( {0.027 \over 90} = {27 \over 1000 × 90} = {3 \over 10000} = 0.0003 \)

17. A shopkeeper sold two articles for $ 48 each. He made a 25% profit on one article and a loss of 20% on the other. What was his net gain or loss on the sale of the two articles?

    1. loss of $ 1.40
    2. gain of $ 2.40
    3. loss of $ 2.40
    4. gain of $ 1.40
    5. gain of $ 2.60

    25% profit at selling price $ 48 = 48 x .25 = $ 12
    20% loss at selling price $ 48 = 48 x 0.2 = $ 9.6
    gain = profit - loss = 12 - 9.6 = $ 2.4

18. 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%.

19. 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

20. A basket that contains 2 apples, 3 bananas, 6 oranges, and 4 pears is in the workroom. When Ms. Hutchinson went to the workroom, other workers had already taken 1 banana, 2 oranges, and 1 pear. From the remaining fruit, Ms. Hutchinson randomly took 3 pieces of fruit separately from the basket. If each fruit is equally likely to be chosen, what is the probability that the third piece was an orange if the first two she took were also oranges?

    1. 4/165
    2. 9/11
    3. 4/11
    4. 3/11
    5. 2/9

    Ms. Hutchinson randomly takes the 3 pieces of fruit from the basket, there are 2 apples, 3 -1 = 2 bananas, 6 - 2 = 4 oranges, and 4 - 1 = 3 pears. Assuming that the first 2 pieces of fruit Ms. Hutchinson takes are oranges, there will be 2 apples, 2 bananas, 4 - 2 = 2 oranges, and 3 pears left in the basket when she selects the third piece of fruit. The probability that the third piece of fruit she selects will be an orange is \(\frac{2}{2 + 2 + 2 + 3} = \frac{2}{9}\).

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