Solved Examples Set 3 (Quantitative Ability)

1. In the series 8, 9, 12, 17, 24 . . . the next number would be

   1. 29
   2. 30
   3. 33
   4. 35
   5. 41

   In the series, 8, 9, 12, 17, 24 . . .
   9 − 8 = 1
   12 − 9 = 3
   17 − 12 = 5
   24 − 17 = 7
   Hence, the difference between the next term and 24 must be 9 or
   x − 24 = 9, and
   x = 33
   Hence, the next term in the series must be 33

2. \( {0.027 \over 90} = ? \)

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

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

3. A man is 5 times as old as his son. 2 years ago the sum of the squares of their ages was 1114. Find the present age of son.

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

   Let son's age = x, then
   father's age = 5x
   As before 2 years ago the sum of the squares of their ages was 1114, the equation becomes as
   \((x - 2)^2 + (5x - 2)^2 = 1114 \)
   By simplifying the equation, we have
   \(13x^2 -12x -553 = 0\)
   Now solving the equation, we have
   \(13x^2 - 12x - 553 = 0\)
   \(13x^2 - 91x + 79x -553 = 0\)
   13x(x - 7) + 79(x - 7) = 0
   (x - 7)(13x + 79) = 0
   x = 7 and x = -6.077
   As age could not be negative, hence the present age of the son is 7 years.

4. 
   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

5. 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

6. 1.02 - 0.20 + ? = 0.842

   1. 0.222
   2. 232
   3. 2
   4. 0.022
   5. 0.012

   1.02 - 0.20 + ? = 0.842
   0.82 + ? = 0.842
   ? = 0.842 - 0.82 = 0.022

7. 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

8. \(25 \text{% of }{4 \over 4\text{%}} \text{ of }{1 \over 25} = ?\)

   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

9. if x% of 60 = 48 then x = ?

   1. 80
   2. 60
   3. 90
   4. 40
   5. 70

   x = \( {48 × 100 \over 60} \) = 80

10. 1015 / 0.05 / 40 = ?

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

    1015 / 0.05 / 40 = 20300 / 40 = 507.5

11. A group of boys were to choose between playing hockey and badminton. The number of boys choosing hockey was three times that of those choosing badminton. Asking 12 boys who chose hockey to play badminton would make the number of players for each game equal. Find the number who chose badminton originally.

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

    Let no. of boys for badminton = x
    then no. of boys for hockey = 3x
    According to the statement,
    3x - 12 = x + 12 (12 leave hockey, 12 join badminton)
    2x = 24
    x = 12
    Hence, there were 12 boys originally choosing badminton.

12. 350 × ? = 4200

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

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

13. On a trip to visit friends, a family drives 65 miles per hour for 208 miles of the trip. If the entire trip was 348 miles and took 6 hours, what was the average speed, in miles per hour, for the rest of the trip?

    1. 44
    2. 50
    3. 51
    4. 58
    5. 60

    As the first part of the trip took \(\frac{208 \text{ miles}}{65 \text{ } \frac{miles}{hour}} = 3.2 \text{ hours},\) so the remaining 140 miles (348 - 208) took 2.8 hours (6 - 3.2). The average speed for the rest of the trip was \(\frac {140 \text{ miles}}{2.8 \text{ hours}} = 50 \) miles per hour.

14. \( {396 \over 11} \) + 19 = ?

    1. 19.8
    2. 36
    3. 55
    4. 33
    5. 50

    \( {396 \over 11} \) + 19 = 36 + 19 = 55

15. A man sells two houses for $ 2 lac each. On one he gained 20% and on the other he lost 20%. His total profit or loss % in the transaction will be

    1. 4% profit
    2. 5% loss
    3. no profit, no loss
    4. 4% loss
    5. 3% loss

    % loss = (% loss X % profit)/100 = (20 X 20)/100 = 4%

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. A man takes 50 minutes to cover a certain distance at a speed of 6 km/hr. If he walks with a speed of 10 km/hr, he covers the same distance in

    1. 1 hour
    2. 30 minutes
    3. 20 minutes
    4. 10 minutes
    5. 40 minutes

    \( 50 × 6 \over 10 \) = 30 minutes

18. 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

19. 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

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