Solved Examples Set 3 (Quantitative Ability)

1. 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

2. A certain number was doubled and the result then multiplied by 3. If the product was 138, find the number.

   1. 21
   2. 23
   3. 25
   4. 27
   5. 19

   Let x be the number
   the number is doubled, 2x
   the result is multiplied by 3, 3 × 2x = 6x
   6x = 138
   x = \(138 \over 6\) = 23

3. A car traveled 100 km with half the distance at 40 km/h and the other half at 80 km/h. Find the average speed of the car for the whole journey.

   1. 53 km/hr
   2. 53.33 km/hr
   3. 54 1⁄4 km/hr
   4. 55 km/hr
   5. 56 km/hr

   The time, car took for the first half, \(50 \over 40 \) = 1.25 hrs
   and for the second half \(50 \over 80 \) = 0.625 hrs
   Total time = 1.25 + 0.625 = 1.875 hrs
   Average speed = \(100 \over 1.875 \) = 53.3 \(km \over hr\)

4. 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

5. A person's net income is $ 1373.70 and he pays an income tax of 5%. His gross income in dollars must be

   1. 1446
   2. 1118.96
   3. 1308.29
   4. 1438.25
   5. 1211.21

   Let gross income in dollars = x
   then according to the statement,
   x = 5% of x + 1373.70
   x - 0.05x = 1373.70
   0.95x = 1373.70
   x = \(137370 \over 95\) = 1446

6. 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%

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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 \(km \over hr\)

11. A boy of height 165 cm is replaced by another, which decreases the average height of the group of 34 students, by 1 cm. The height of the new student is

    1. 129 cm
    2. 130 cm
    3. 131 cm
    4. 132 cm
    5. 133 cm

    Total decreased height of 34 students = 1 × 34 = 34 cm
    Height of the replaced student = 165 - 34 = 131 cm

12. 8 : ? :: 1 : 4

    1. 24
    2. 16
    3. 0
    4. 32
    5. 20

    ? × 1 = 8 × 4
    ? = 32

13. 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

14. 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%

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. 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

17. 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,
    \(\frac{6\frac{1}{4} \text{ tsp}}{1\frac{3}{4} \text{ } \frac{tsp}{ serving}} = \frac{\frac{25}{4}}{\frac{7}{4}} \text{ servings} = \frac{25}{7} \text{ servings} = 3\frac{4}{7} \text{ servings}\)

18. 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.

19. 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%

20. 5873 + 12034 + 1106 = ?

    1. 19016
    2. 20001
    3. 19013
    4. 2018
    5. 19010

    5873 + 12034 + 1106 = 17907 + 1106 = 19013

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