Ratio Proportion Variation CAT 2010 Sample Questions

1. 60 litres of diesel is required to travel 600 km using a 800 cc engine. If the volume of diesel required to cover a distance varies directly as the capacity of the engine, then how many litres of diesel is required to travel 800 kms using 1200 cc engine? 1. 2. 3. 4. 80 litres 90 litres 120 litres 170 litres

Correct Answer - 120 litres. Choice (3) Explanatory Answer :To cover a distance of 800 kms using a 800 cc engine, the amount of diesel required = = 80 litres.

However, the vehicle uses a 1200 cc engine and the question states that the amount of diesel required varies directly as the engine capacity. i.e., for instance, if the capacity of engine doubles, the diesel requirement will double too.

Therefore, with a 1200 cc engine, quantity of diesel required =

= 120 litres.

2. Rs.432 is divided amongst three workers A, B and C such that 8 times As share is equal to 12 times Bs share which is equal to 6 times Cs share. How much did A get? 1. 2. 3. 4. Rs.192 Rs.133 Rs.144 Rs.128

Choice (3). Correct Answer - Rs.144. Explanatory Answer 8 times As share = 12 times Bs share = 6 times Cs share. Note that this is not the same as the ratio of their wages being 8 : 12 : 6 In this case, find out the L.C.M of 8, 12 and 6 and divide the L.C.M by each of the above numbers to get the ratio of their respective shares.

The L.C.M of 8, 12 and 6 is 24. Therefore, the ratio A:B:C :: => A : B : C :: 3 : 2 : 4 The sum of the total wages = 3x + 2x + 4x = 432 => 9x = 432 or x = 48. Hence, A who gets 3x will get 3 * 48 = Rs.144. 3. If 20 men or 24 women or 40 boys can do a task in 12 days working for 8 hours a day, how many men working with 6 women and 2 boys take to do a task four times as big working for 5 hours a day for 12 days? 1. 2. 3. 4. 8 men 2 men 122 men 24 men

Choice (3). Correct Answer - 122 men. Explanatory Answer Amount of work done by 20 men = 24 women = 40 boys or amount of work done by 1 man = 1.2 women = 2 boys. Let us therefore, find out the amount of men required, if only men were working on the task, to complete the new job under the new conditions. And then make adjustments for the women and boys who are already employed on the task. The man hours required to complete the new task = 4 times the man hours required to complete the old task. (As the new task is 4 times as big as the old task) So, the new task is 20 * 12 * 8 * 4 men hours task. Let 'n' be the number of men required to complete the new task. Equating the men hours of task, we get 20 * 12 * 8 * 4 = n * 5 * 12. Or n = 128. The new task will require 128 men, if only men worked on the task to complete it. However, the problem states that 6 women and 2 boys are working on the job. 6 women are the equivalent of = 5 men and 2 boys = 1 man. i.e., the equivalent of 5 + 1 = 6 men are already working on the project. Therefore, 122 more men are required to work with 6 women and 2 boys to complete the task. 4. Two cogged wheels of which one has 32 cogs and other 54 cogs, work into each other. If the latter turns 80 times in three quarters of a minute, how often does the other turn in 8 seconds? 1. 2. 3. 4. 48 135 24 None of these

Correct Answer 24 and correct choice is (3) Explanatory Answer Less Cogs => more turns and less time => less turns cogs A B 54 32 time 45 8 turns 80 ?

Number of turns required =

= 24 times

5. The monthly incomes of A and B are in the ratio 4 : 5, their expenses are in the ratio 5 : 6. If

'A' saves Rs.25 per month and 'B' saves Rs.50 per month, what are their respective incomes? (1) Rs.400 and Rs.500 (3) Rs.320 and Rs.400 Correct Answer - (1) (2) Rs.240 and Rs.300 (4) Rs.440 and Rs.550

Solution: Let A's income be = 4x A's expenses, therefore = 4x - 25 Let B's income be = 5x B's expenses, therefore = 5x - 50 We know that the ratio of their expenses = 5 : 6 => => 24x - 150 = 25x - 250 => Therefore, x = 100. => A's income = 4x = 400 and B's income = 5x = 500. 6. The proportion of milk and water in 3 samples is 2:1, 3:2 and 5:3. A mixture comprising of equal quantities of all 3 samples is made. The proportion of milk and water in the mixture is (1) 2:1 (2) 5:1

(3) 99:61 (4) 227:133 Correct Answer - (4)

Solution: Proportion of milk in 3 samples is 2/3, 3/5, 5/8. Proportion of water in 3 samples is 1/3, 2/5, 3/8. Since equal quantities are taken, Total proportion of milk is 2/3 + 3/5 + 5/8 = 227/120 Total proportion of water is 1/3 + 2/5 + 3/8 = 133/120

Proportion of milk and water in the solution is So Choice (4) is the right answer

= 227:133

7. A group of workers can do a piece of work in 24 days. However as 7 of them were absent it took 30 days to complete the work. How many people actually worked on the job to complete it? (1) 35 (2) 30

(3) 28 (4) 42 Correct Answer - (3)

Solution: Let the original number of workers in the group be 'x' Therefore, actual number of workers = x-7. We know that the number of manhours required to do the job is the same in both the cases. Therefore, x (24) = (x-7).30 24x = 30x - 210 6x = 210 x = 35. Therfore, the actual number of workers who worked to complete the job = x - 7 = 35 -7 = 28.

8. A, B and C play cricket. A's runs are to B's runs and B's runs are to C's as 3:2. They get altogether 342 runs. How many runs did A make? (1) 162 (2) 108

(3) 72 (4) None of these Correct Answer - (1)

Solution: A:B = 3:2 = 9:6; B:C = 3:2 = 6:4 (making B equal) Therefore, A:B:C = 9:6:4 Therefore, the runs made by A = (9/19) X 342 = 162. 9. The monthly salaries of two persons are in the ratio of 4:7. If each receives an increase of Rs.25 in the salary, the ratio is altered to 3: 5. Find their respective salaries. (1) 120 & 210 (3) 180 & 300 Correct Answer - (4) (2) 80 & 140 (4) 200 & 350

Solution: Let the salaries be 4x and 7x

Therefore, 5(4x + 25) = 3(7x + 25) 20x + 125 = 21x + 75 x = 50 Therefore, their salaries are 4(50) & 7(50) i.e., 200 & 350 10. A fort has provisions for 60 days. If after 15 days 500 men strengthen them and the food lasts 40 days longer, how many men are there in the fort? (1) 3500 (2) 4000

(3) 6000 (4) None of these Correct Answer - (2)

Solution: Let there be 'x' men in the beginning so that after 15 days the food for them is left for 45 days. After adding 500 men the food lasts for only 40 days. Now (x+500) men can have the same food for 40 days. Therefore by equating the amount of food we get, 45 * x = (x + 500) * 40 45x = (x+500) * 40 5x = 20,000 x = 4,000 Therefore there are 4,000 men in the fort

11. The ratio of marks obtained by vinod and Basu is 6:5. If the combined average of their percentage is 68.75 and their sum of the marks is 275, find the total marks for which exam was conducted. (1) 150 (2) 200

(3) 400 (4) None of these. Correct Answer - (2)

Solution: Let Vinod marks be 6x and Basu's is 5x. Therefore, the sum of the marks = 6x + 5x = 11x. But the sum of the marks is given as 275 = 11x. We get x = 25 therefore, vinod marks is 6x = 150 and Basu marks = 5x = 125. Therefore, the combined average of their marks = (150 + 125) / 2 = 137.5. If the total mark of the exam is 100 then their combined average of their percentage is 68.75

Therefore, if their combined average of their percentage is 137.5 then the total marks would be (137.5 / 68.75)*100 = 200.

12. The present ages of A and B are as 6 : 4. Five years ago their ages were in the ratio 5 : 3. Find their present ages. (1) 42, 28 (2) 36, 24

(3) 30, 20 (4) 25, 15 Correct Answer - (3)

Solution: Go from the choices Choice (3) 30 and 20 are in the ratio of 6: 4 Five years ago their ages would be 25 and 15 which are in the ratio 5 : 3. Hence choice (3) is the right answer. 13. A, B and C enter into a partnership by investing Rs.3600, Rs.4400 and Rs.2800. A is a working partner and gets a fourth of the profit for his services and the remaining profit is divided amongst the three in the rate of their investments. What is the amount of profit that B gets if A gets a total of Rs. 8000? (1) 4888.88 (3) 4000 Correct Answer - (1) Solution: Let x be the profit. Their investment ratio = 3600: 4400: 2800 = 9 : 11 : 7 A's profit of Rs. 8000 = (1/4 * x) + 1/3(3/4*x) = 1/2 * x x = Rs. 16,000 Therefore B's profit = 11/27(3/4 * 16000) = Rs. 4888.88 (2) 9333.33 (4) 3666.66

14. A, B and C, each of them working alone can complete a job in 6, 8 and 12 days respectively. If all three of them work together to complete a job and earn Rs.2340, what ill be Cs share of the earnings? (1) Rs.520 (2) Rs.1080

(3) Rs.1170 (4) Rs.630 Correct choice - (1) Correct Answer -(Rs.520) Solution: A, B and C will share the amount of Rs. 2340 in the ratio of the amounts of work done by them. As A takes 6 days to complete the job, if A works alone, A will be able to complete th of the work in a day.

Similarly, B will complete

and C will complete

of the work.

So, the ratio of the work done by A : B : C when they work together will be equal to Multiplying the numerator of all 3 fractions by 24, the LCM of 6, 8 and 12 will not change the relative values of the three values. We get = 4 : 3 : 2. i.e., the ratio in which A: B : C will share Rs.2340 will be 4 : 3 : 2.

Hence, Cs share will be

= Rs.520.

15.The marks scored by a student in three subjects are in the ratio of 4 : 5 : 6. If the candidate scored an overall aggregate of 60% of the sum of the maximum marks and the maximum marks in all three subjects is the same, in how many subjects did he score more than 60%?
(1) (3) 1 3 (2) (4) 2 None of the subjects

Correct choice - (1) Correct Answer -(1)

Explanatory Answer

Let the maximum in marks in each of the three subjects be 100. Therefore, the candidate scored an aggregate of 60% of 3 * 100 = 60% of 300 marks = 180 marks. Let the marks scored in the three subjects be 4x, 5x and 6x. Then, 4x + 5x + 6x = 180 15x = 180 or x = 12. Therefore, marks scored by the candidate in the three subjects are 4*12, 5*12 and 6*12 = 48, 60 and 72. Hence, the candidate has score more than 60% in one subject.