Percentages

2011 · Q50

In a group of persons, 70% of the persons are male and 30% of the persons are married. If two-sevenths of the males are married, what fraction of the females is single?

1. (a)$\dfrac{2}{7}$
2. (b)$\dfrac{1}{3}$
3. (c)$\dfrac{3}{7}$
4. (d)$\dfrac{2}{3}$UPSC key

2013 · Q65

The tank-full petrol in Arun’s motor-cycle lasts for 10 days. If he starts using 25% more everyday, how many days will the tank-full petrol last?

1. (a)5
2. (b)6
3. (c)7
4. (d)8UPSC key

2014 · Q20

A gardener increased the area of his rectangular garden by increasing its length by 40% and decreasing its width by 20%. The area of the new garden

1. (a)has increased by 20%.
2. (b)has increased by 12%.UPSC key
3. (c)has increased by 8%.
4. (d)is exactly the same as the old area.

2014 · Q48

A and B decide to travel from place X to place Y by bus. A has ₹ 10 with him and he finds that it is 80% of the bus fare for two persons. B finds that he has ₹ 3 with him and hands it over to A. In this context, which one of the following statements is correct?

1. (a)Now the money A has is just enough to buy two tickets.
2. (b)A still needs ₹ 2 for buying the tickets.
3. (c)After buying the two tickets A will be left with 50 paise.UPSC key
4. (d)The money A now has is still not sufficient to buy two tickets.

2014 · Q49

As per agreement with a bank, a businessman had to refund a loan in some equal instalments without interest. After paying 18 instalments he found that 60 percent of his loan was refunded. How many instalments were there in the agreement?

1. (a)22
2. (b)24
3. (c)30UPSC key
4. (d)33

2015 · Q15

In a test, a candidate attempted only 8 questions and secured 50% marks in each of the questions. If he obtained a total of 40% in the test and all questions in the test carried equal marks, how many questions were there in the test?

1. (a)8
2. (b)10UPSC key
3. (c)15
4. (d)16

2015 · Q80

Candidates in a competitive examination consisted of 60% men and 40% women. 70% men and 75% women cleared the qualifying test and entered the final test where 80% men and 70% women were successful.

Which of the following statements is correct?

1. (a)Success rate is higher for women.
2. (b)Overall success rate is below 50%.
3. (c)More men cleared the examination than women.UPSC key
4. (d)Both (a) and (b) above are correct.

2016 · Q20

There is an order of 19000 quantity of a particular product from a customer. The firm produces 1000 quantity of that product per day out of which 5% are unfit for sale. In how many days will the order be completed?

1. (a)18
2. (b)19
3. (c)20UPSC key
4. (d)22

2016 · Q30

Anita's mathematics test had 70 problems carrying equal marks i.e., 10 arithmetic, 30 algebra and 30 geometry. Although she answered 70% of the arithmetic, 40% of the algebra and 60% of the geometry problems correctly, she did not pass the test because she got less than 60% marks. The number of more questions she would have to answer correctly to earn a 60% passing marks is:

1. (a)1
2. (b)5UPSC key
3. (c)7
4. (d)9

2016 · Q37

Two numbers X and Y are respectively 20% and 28% less than a third number Z. By what percentage is the number Y less than the number X?

1. (a)12%
2. (b)10%UPSC key
3. (c)9%
4. (d)8%

2017 · Q30

P = (40% of A) + (65% of B) and Q = (50% of A) + (50% of B), where A is greater than B.

In this context, which of the following statements is correct?

1. (a)P is greater than Q.
2. (b)Q is greater than P.
3. (c)P is equal to Q.
4. (d)None of the above can be concluded with certainty.UPSC key

2017 · Q32

In a city, 12% of households earn less than ₹ 30,000 per year, 6% households earn more than ₹ 2,00,000 per year, 22% households earn more than ₹ 1,00,000 per year and 990 households earn between ₹ 30,000 and ₹ 1,00,000 per year. How many households earn between ₹ 1,00,000 and ₹ 2,00,000 per year?

1. (a)250
2. (b)240UPSC key
3. (c)230
4. (d)225

2018 · Q41

A student has to get 40% marks to pass in an examination. Suppose he gets 30 marks and fails by 30 marks, then what are the maximum marks in the examination?

1. (a)100
2. (b)120
3. (c)150UPSC key
4. (d)300

2019 · Q11

A and B are two heavy steel blocks. If B is placed on the top of A, the weight increases by 60%. How much weight will reduce with respect to the total weight of A and B, if B is removed from the top of A?

1. (a)60%
2. (b)45·5%
3. (c)40%
4. (d)37·5%UPSC key

2019 · Q16

When a runner was crossing the 12 km mark, she was informed that she had completed only 80% of the race. How many kilometres was the runner supposed to run in this event?

1. (a)14
2. (b)15UPSC key
3. (c)16
4. (d)16·5

2019 · Q17

Raju has ₹ 9000 with him and he wants to buy a mobile handset; but he finds that he has only 75% of the amount required to buy the handset. Therefore, he borrows ₹ 2000 from a friend. Then

1. (a)Raju still does not have enough amount to buy the handset.UPSC key
2. (b)Raju has exactly the same amount as required to buy the handset.
3. (c)Raju has enough amount to buy the handset and he will have ₹ 500 with him after buying the handset.
4. (d)Raju has enough amount to buy the handset and he will have ₹ 1000 with him after buying the handset.

2019 · Q34

In an examination, A has scored 20 marks more than B. If B has scored 5% less marks than A, how much has B scored?

1. (a)360
2. (b)380UPSC key
3. (c)400
4. (d)420

2020 · Q55

In adult population of a city, 40% men and 30% women are married. What is the percentage of married adult population if no man marries more than one woman and no woman marries more than one man; and there are no widows and widowers?

1. (a)33 $\dfrac{1}{7}$%
2. (b)34%
3. (c)34 $\dfrac{2}{7}$%UPSC key
4. (d)35%

2020 · Q70

As a result of 25% hike in the price of rice per kg, a person is able to purchase 6 kg less rice for ₹ 1,200. What was the original price of rice per kg?

1. (a)₹ 30
2. (b)₹ 40UPSC key
3. (c)₹ 50
4. (d)₹ 60

2021 · Q9

In a class, 60% of students are from India and 50% of the students are girls. If 30% of the Indian students are girls, then what percentage of foreign students are boys?

1. (a)45%
2. (b)40%
3. (c)30%
4. (d)20%UPSC key

2021 · Q54

P scored 40 marks more than Q in an examination. If Q scored 10% less marks than P, then how much did Q score?

1. (a)360UPSC key
2. (b)380
3. (c)400
4. (d)420

2021 · Q78

If the price of an article is decreased by 20% and then the new price is increased by 25%, then what is the net change in the price?

1. (a)0%UPSC key
2. (b)5% increase
3. (c)5% decrease
4. (d)Cannot be determined due to insufficient data

2022 · Q20

The increase in the price of a certain item was 25%. Then the price was decreased by 20% and then again increased by 10%. What is the resultant increase in the price?

1. (a)5%
2. (b)10%UPSC key
3. (c)12·5%
4. (d)15%

2022 · Q60

When 70% of a number x is added to another number y, the sum becomes 165% of the value of y. When 60% of the number x is added to another number z, then the sum becomes 165% of the value of z. Which one of the following is correct?

1. (a)z < x < yUPSC key
2. (b)x < y < z
3. (c)y < x < z
4. (d)z < y < x

2022 · Q64

Two candidates X and Y contested an election. 80% of voters cast their vote and there were no invalid votes. There was no NOTA (None of the above) option. X got 56% of the votes cast and won by 1440 votes. What is the total number of voters in the voters list?

1. (a)15000UPSC key
2. (b)12000
3. (c)9600
4. (d)5000

2024 · Q26

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?

1. (a)48·75%
2. (b)56·25%UPSC key
3. (c)60·50%
4. (d)62·25%

2024 · Q27

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

1. (a)25%
2. (b)50%
3. (c)72·75%
4. (d)93·75%UPSC key

2024 · Q47

A person buys three articles P, Q and R for ₹ 3,330. If P costs 25% more than R and R costs 20% more than Q, then what is the cost of P?

1. (a)₹ 1,000
2. (b)₹ 1,200
3. (c)₹ 1,250
4. (d)₹ 1,350UPSC key

2025 · Q10

The price (p) of a commodity is first increased by k%; then decreased by k%; again increased by k%; and again decreased by k%. If the new price is q, then what is the relation between p and q?

1. (a)p($10^{4}$ − $k^{2}$)² = q × $10^{8}$UPSC key
2. (b)p($10^{4}$ − $k^{2}$)² = q × $10^{4}$
3. (c)p($10^{4}$ − $k^{2}$) = q × $10^{4}$
4. (d)p($10^{4}$ − $k^{2}$) = q × $10^{8}$

2025 · Q17

The petrol price shot up by 10% as a result of the hike in crude oil prices. The price of petrol before the hike was ₹ 90 per litre. A person travels 2200 km every month and his car gives a mileage of 16 km per litre. By how many km should he reduce his travel if he wants to maintain his expenditure at the previous level?

1. (a)180 km
2. (b)200 kmUPSC key
3. (c)220 km
4. (d)240 km

2026 · Q43

A person saves 10% of his salary every month. If his salary increases by 12% and the expenditure increases by 10%, then what will be the change in his saving per month?

1. (a)20% increase
2. (b)30% increaseUPSC key
3. (c)03% decrease
4. (d)02% decrease