CSAT 2024

Q. Consider the following: Weight of 6 boys = Weight of 7 girls = Weight of 3 men = Weight of 4 women

Q. Consider the following: Weight of 6 boys = Weight of 7 girls = Weight of 3 men = Weight of 4 women

If the average weight of the women is 63 kg, then what is the average weight of the boys?

a) 40 kg
b) 42 kg
c) 45 kg
d) 63 kg
Correct answer: b) 42 kg

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

To determine the average weight of the boys, let’s break down the given information:

1. Equality of Weights:
– Weight of 6 boys = Weight of 7 girls = Weight of 3 men = Weight of 4 women = W

2. Average Weight of Women:
– Average weight of one woman = 63 kg
– Total weight of 4 women = 4 × 63 = 252 kg
– Therefore, W = 252 kg

3. Calculating Average Weight of Boys:
– Total weight of 6 boys = W = 252 kg
– Average weight of one boy = 252/6 = 42 kg

Answer: b) 42 kg

Q. Consider the following: Weight of 6 boys = Weight of 7 girls = Weight of 3 men = Weight of 4 women Read More »

Q. Let X be a two-digit number and Y be another two-digit number formed by interchanging the digits of X.

Q. Let X be a two-digit number and Y be another two-digit number formed by interchanging the digits of X.

If (X+Y) is the greatest two-digit number, then what is the number of possible values of X?

a) 2
b) 4
c) 6
d) 8
Correct answer: d) 8

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

Two-Digit Number Sum by Interchanging Digits of X

Let’s analyze the problem step by step.

Given:
– Let X = 10a + b be a two-digit number where a is the tens digit (1-9) and b is the units digit (0-9).
– Let Y = 10b + a be the number formed by interchanging the digits of X.

Sum of X and Y:
X + Y = (10a + b) + (10b + a) = 11(a + b)

Objective:
– To maximize X + Y such that it remains a two-digit number.

Maximum Two-Digit Number:
– The greatest two-digit number is 99.
– So, 11(a + b) ≤ 99 which implies a + b ≤ 9.

Maximizing the Sum:
– To achieve the largest possible two-digit sum, set a + b = 9.
– Thus, X + Y = 99.

Possible Combinations:
We need to find pairs (a, b) where a + b = 9 and a ranges from 1 to 9 while b ranges from 0 to 9.

Here are the possible pairs:
(1,8), (2,7), (3,6), (4,5), (5,4), (6,3), (7,2), (8,1), (9,0)

Excluding Invalid Cases:
– When a = 9, b = 0 leads to Y = 09, which is not a valid two-digit number.
– Therefore, exclude (9,0).

Valid Pairs:
(1,8), (2,7), (3,6), (4,5), (5,4), (6,3), (7,2), (8,1)

Number of Possible Values of X:
– There are 8 valid pairs.

Answer: d) 8

Q. Let X be a two-digit number and Y be another two-digit number formed by interchanging the digits of X. Read More »

Q. Consider the following: 1. 1000 litres = 1 m³ 2. 1 metric ton = 1000 kg 3. 1 hectare = 10000 m²

Q. Consider the following:
1. 1000 litres = 1 m³
2. 1 metric ton = 1000 kg
3. 1 hectare = 10000 m²

Which of the above are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct answer: d) 1, 2 and 3

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

1. 1000 litres = 1 m³
This is correct. One cubic meter (m³) is equal to 1000 liters.

2. 1 metric ton = 1000 kg
This is correct. A metric ton, also known as a tonne, is defined as 1000 kilograms.

3. 1 hectare = 10000 m²
This is correct. A hectare is a unit of area equal to 10,000 square meters.

Since all three statements are correct, the answer is: d) 1, 2 and 3

 

Q. Consider the following: 1. 1000 litres = 1 m³ 2. 1 metric ton = 1000 kg 3. 1 hectare = 10000 m² Read More »

Q. A father said to his son, “n years back I was as old as you are now. My present age is four times your age n years back”. If the sum of the present ages of the father and the son is 130 years, what is the difference of their ages?

Q. A father said to his son, “n years back I was as old as you are now. My present age is four times your age n years back”. If the sum of the present ages of the father and the son is 130 years, what is the difference of their ages?

a) 30 years
b) 32 years
c) 34 years
d) 36 years
Correct answer: a) 30 years

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

Father Son Age Problem

Let’s approach this step-by-step:

1. Let’s define some variables:
F = Father’s present age
S = Son’s present age
n = Number of years mentioned in the problem

2. From the given information:
F – n = S (Father’s age n years ago was equal to son’s present age)
F = 4(S – n) (Father’s present age is 4 times son’s age n years ago)

3. We’re also told that the sum of their present ages is 130:
F + S = 130

4. Let’s solve the equations:
From the first equation: S = F – n
Substituting this into the second equation:
F = 4(F – n – n) = 4F – 8n

3F = 8n
F = 8n/3

5. Now, let’s use the third equation:
F + S = 130
(8n/3) + (8n/3 – n) = 130
16n/3 – n = 130
16n/3 – 3n/3 = 130
13n/3 = 130
13n = 390
n = 30

6. Now that we know n, we can find F and S:
F = 8n/3 = 8(30)/3 = 80
S = F – n = 80 – 30 = 50

7. The difference in their ages is:
80 – 50 = 30

Therefore, the difference in their ages is 30 years.

The correct answer is a) 30 years.

Q. A father said to his son, “n years back I was as old as you are now. My present age is four times your age n years back”. If the sum of the present ages of the father and the son is 130 years, what is the difference of their ages? Read More »

Q. In an examination, 80% of students passed in English, 70% of students passed in Hindi and 15% failed in both the subjects. What is the percentage of students who failed in only one subject?

Q. In an examination, 80% of students passed in English, 70% of students passed in Hindi and 15% failed in both the subjects. What is the percentage of students who failed in only one subject?

a) 15%
b) 20%
c) 25%
d) 35%
Correct answer: b) 20%

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

In an examination, 80% of students passed in English

Let’s approach this step-by-step:

1) Let’s define our variables:
Let x be the total number of students.

2) We know:
– 80% passed English, so 20% failed English
– 70% passed Hindi, so 30% failed Hindi
– 15% failed both subjects

3) Let’s create a Venn diagram in our mind:
– Let A be the set of students who failed English
– Let B be the set of students who failed Hindi
– The intersection of A and B (A ∩ B) is 15% of x

4) We need to find:
(Students who failed English only) + (Students who failed Hindi only)

5) Students who failed English only:
20% – 15% = 5% of x

6) Students who failed Hindi only:
30% – 15% = 15% of x

7) Total percentage of students who failed in only one subject:
5% + 15% = 20%

Therefore, the correct answer is b) 20%.

 

Q. In an examination, 80% of students passed in English, 70% of students passed in Hindi and 15% failed in both the subjects. What is the percentage of students who failed in only one subject? Read More »

Q. P’s salary is 20% lower than Q’s salary which is 20% lower than R’s salary. By how much percent is R’s salary more than P’s salary?

Q. P’s salary is 20% lower than Q’s salary which is 20% lower than R’s salary.
By how much percent is R’s salary more than P’s salary?

a) 48.75%
b) 56.25%
c) 60.50%
d) 62.25%
Correct answer: b) 56.25%

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

R’s salary more than P’s salary

Let’s approach this step-by-step to verify the correct answer:

1) Let’s assume R’s salary is 100 units (for easy calculation).

2) Q’s salary is 20% lower than R’s:
Q’s salary = 100 – (20% of 100) = 100 – 20 = 80 units

3) P’s salary is 20% lower than Q’s:
P’s salary = 80 – (20% of 80) = 80 – 16 = 64 units

4) Now, we need to calculate how much higher R’s salary is compared to P’s:
Difference = R’s salary – P’s salary = 100 – 64 = 36 units

5) To express this as a percentage increase from P to R:
Percentage increase = (Difference / P’s salary) × 100
= (36 / 64) × 100
= 0.5625 × 100
= 56.25%

Therefore, the correct answer is indeed b) 56.25%.

R’s salary is 56.25% more than P’s salary.

Q. P’s salary is 20% lower than Q’s salary which is 20% lower than R’s salary. By how much percent is R’s salary more than P’s salary? Read More »

Q. A number is mistakenly divided by 4 instead of multiplying by 4. What is the percentage change in the result due to this mistake?

Q. A number is mistakenly divided by 4 instead of multiplying by 4. What is the percentage change in the result due to this mistake?

a) 25%
b) 50%
c) 72.75%
d) 93.75%
Correct answer: d) 93.75%

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

Number is mistakenly divided by 4 instead of multiplying by 4

1) Our original number is 100.

2) The correct operation should be: 100 * 4 = 400

3) The mistaken operation is: 100 ÷ 4 = 25

4) Now, let’s calculate the percentage change:
(Mistaken result – Correct result) / Correct result * 100
= (25 – 400) / 400 * 100
= -375 / 400 * 100
= -0.9375 * 100
= -93.75%

5) The negative sign indicates a decrease. The question asks for the percentage change, which is the absolute value.

Therefore, the percentage change is 93.75%.

Q. A number is mistakenly divided by 4 instead of multiplying by 4. What is the percentage change in the result due to this mistake? Read More »

Q. Two persons P and Q enter into a business. P puts ₹14,000 more than Q, but P has invested for 8 months and Q has invested for 10 months. If P’s share is ₹400 more than Q’s share out of the total profit of ₹2,000, what is the capital contributed by P?

Q. Two persons P and Q enter into a business. P puts ₹14,000 more than Q, but P has invested for 8 months and Q has invested for 10 months. If P’s share is ₹400 more than Q’s share out of the total profit of ₹2,000, what is the capital contributed by P?

a) ₹30,000
b) ₹26,000
c) ₹24,000
d) ₹20,000
Correct answer: a) ₹30,000

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

Two persons P and Q

Let’s approach this problem step by step:

1) Let’s say Q’s investment is x.
Then, P’s investment is x + 14,000.

2) We know that profit is proportional to both the amount invested and the time of investment.
So, we can set up an equation:

P’s share : Q’s share = (x + 14,000) * 8 : x * 10

3) We’re told that P’s share is ₹400 more than Q’s share out of a total profit of ₹2,000.
So, P’s share = 1200 and Q’s share = 800.

4) Now we can set up the proportion:

1200 : 800 = (x + 14,000) * 8 : x * 10

5) Cross multiply:

1200 * 10x = 800 * (8x + 112,000)
12000x = 6400x + 89,600,000

6) Solve for x:

5600x = 89,600,000
x = 16,000

7) Remember, x is Q’s investment. We need to find P’s investment:

P’s investment = x + 14,000 = 16,000 + 14,000 = 30,000

Therefore, the capital contributed by P is ₹30,000.

The correct answer is a) ₹30,000.

Q. Two persons P and Q enter into a business. P puts ₹14,000 more than Q, but P has invested for 8 months and Q has invested for 10 months. If P’s share is ₹400 more than Q’s share out of the total profit of ₹2,000, what is the capital contributed by P? Read More »

Q. Consider the sequence A_BCD_BBCDABC_DABC_D that follows a certain pattern.

Q. Consider the sequence A_BCD_BBCDABC_DABC_D that follows a certain pattern.

Which one of the following completes the sequence?
a) B, A, D, C
b) B, A, C, D
c) A, A, C, D
d) A, A, D, C
Correct answer: c) A, A, C, D

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

Solution Steps

  1. Let’s split the sequence in sets of 5 character: A_BCD_BBCDABC_DABC_D Splits into: A_BCD / _BBCD / ABC_D / ABC_D
  2. Analyzing this grouping, we can identify the pattern:
    • Each group consists of 5 characters
    • The pattern involves repeating ABCD in various arrangements, sometimes with repetitions
  3. The correct grouping of the sequence by Hit & Trail Method is: A A BCD A BBCD ABC C D ABC D D (Hit & Trail)
  4. Observations from this pattern:
    • The first group has two A’s followed by BCD
    • The second group starts with A, then has two B’s, followed by CD
    • The third group has ABC, then C, then D
    • The fourth group has ABC, then two D’s
  5. The last group in our given sequence is incomplete: ABC_D
  6. To complete it according to the established pattern, we need to add another D, making it: ABC D D
  7. Therefore, the missing letters are A, A, C, D

Q. Consider the sequence A_BCD_BBCDABC_DABC_D that follows a certain pattern. Read More »

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the sum S=x+y+z, where x, y and z are distinct prime numbers each less than 10:

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the sum S=x+y+z, where x, y and z are distinct prime numbers each less than 10:

1. The unit digit of S can be 0.
2. The unit digit of S can be 9.
3. The unit digit of S can be 5.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct answer: c) 1 and 3 only

Question from UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT

Explanation : 

S=x+y+z

Let’s approach this step-by-step:

1. First, let’s list out the prime numbers less than 10:
2, 3, 5, 7

2. Now, we need to consider all possible combinations of three distinct primes from this list:
2 + 3 + 5 = 10
2 + 3 + 7 = 12
2 + 5 + 7 = 14
3 + 5 + 7 = 15

3. Let’s examine each statement:

Statement 1: The unit digit of S can be 0.
This is true, as we can see from the sum 2 + 3 + 5 = 10.

Statement 2: The unit digit of S can be 9.
This is false. None of the sums have a unit digit of 9.

Statement 3: The unit digit of S can be 5.
This is true, as we can see from the sum 3 + 5 + 7 = 15.

4. Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct, while statement 2 is incorrect.

The correct answer is c) 1 and 3 only.

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the sum S=x+y+z, where x, y and z are distinct prime numbers each less than 10: Read More »