Solved Examples Set 3 (Quantitative Ability)

1. 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

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

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

   

4. 12% of ________ = 48

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

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

5. 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.

6. 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%

7. 72 + 679 + 1439 + 537+ ? = 4036

   1. 1309
   2. 1208
   3. 2308
   4. 2423
   5. 1309

   72 + 679 + 1439 + 537+ ? = 4036
   2727 + ? = 4036
   ? = 4036 - 2727 = 1309

8. 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

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. 5873 + 12034 + 1106 = ?

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

    5873 + 12034 + 1106 = 17907 + 1106 = 19013

12. 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 \(km \over hr\)

13. The closest approximation of \(\frac{69.28 × .004}{.03}\) is

    1. 0.092
    2. 0.92
    3. 9.2
    4. 92
    5. 920

    This problem is most easily completed by rearranging and approximating as follows:
    (69.28 x .004)/.03 ≅ 69 x .1 = 6.9
    which is the only reasonably close answer to 9.2

14. A man bought a flat for $ 820000. He borrowed 55% of this money from a bank. How much money did he borrow from the bank?

    1. $ 451000
    2. $ 452000
    3. $ 453000
    4. $ 454000
    5. $ 450000

    55% of 820000 = 0.55 × 820000 = $ 451000

15. 60% of 37 = ?

    1. 20
    2. 21
    3. 22.2
    4. 22
    5. none

    60% of 37 = 0.6 × 37 = 22.2

16. 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,
    \(\frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 1}{x + 1} = \frac{𝑥^2 + 3x + 2}{x + 1} - \frac{1}{x + 1} = (𝑥 + 2) - \frac{1}{x + 1}\)

17. 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

18. 40 men can build a wall 4 metres high in 15 days. The number of men required to build a similar wall 5 metres high in 6 days is

    1. 115
    2. 125
    3. 105
    4. 135
    5. 130

    \( 40 × 15 × 5 \over 6 × 4 \) = 125 men

19. 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

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