85 practice questions on Percentage from the Quantitative Aptitude section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus.
85 come with a written explanation and 44 are actual previous year questions.
Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.
42 Easy41 Medium2 Hard44 from past papers
Sample questions
Q1
Previous year questioneasy
A and B decide to travel from place X to place Y by bus. A has Rs. 10 with him and he finds that it is 80% of the bus fare for two persons. B finds that he has Rs. 3 with him and hands it over to A. In this context, which one of the following statements is correct?
ANow the money A has is just enough to buy two tickets.
BA still needs Rs. 2 for buying the tickets.
CAfter buying the two tickets A will be left with 50 paise.
DThe money A now has is still not sufficient to buy two tickets.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - After buying the two tickets A will be left with 50 paise.
Rs. 10 is 80% of the total fare for two persons, so the full fare for two is 10 / 0.80 = Rs. 12.50. After B hands over Rs. 3, A has 10 + 3 = Rs. 13. Buying two tickets costs Rs. 12.50, leaving A with 13 - 12.50 = Rs. 0.50, which is 50 paise.
Q2
Previous year questionmedium
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?
(a) 22
(b) 24
(c) 30
(d) 33
A22
B24
C30
D33
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - 30
Each instalment is an equal fraction of the loan. If 18 instalments equal 60 percent of the loan, then one instalment equals 60/18 = 10/3 percent of the loan. The full loan is 100 percent, so the total number of instalments is 100 divided by (10/3) = 100 x 3/10 = 30. Hence there were 30 instalments in the agreement.
Q3
Previous year questioneasy
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?
A0%
B5% increase
C5% decrease
DCannot be determined due to insufficient data
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A - 0%
Take the original price as 100. A 20% decrease gives 80, and a 25% increase on the new price gives 80 x 1.25 = 100, restoring the original price exactly. The net change is 0%, option (a). The multipliers confirm it: 0.8 x 1.25 = 1. Option (b) and option (c) wrongly net the percentages as 25 - 20 = 5, ignoring that the 25% acts on the reduced base. Option (d) is wrong because percentage change is independent of the actual price, so the data are sufficient.
Q4
Previous year questionmedium
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:
A1
B5
C7
D9
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 5
Correct answers: arithmetic = 70% of 10 = 7, algebra = 40% of 30 = 12, geometry = 60% of 30 = 18. Total correct = 7 + 12 + 18 = 37. To pass she needs 60% of 70 = 42 correct. Shortfall = 42 - 37 = 5. So she needs 5 more correct answers. The other options do not match the required 42 minimum.
Q5
Previous year questionmedium
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?
Az < x < y
Bx < y < z
Cy < x < z
Dz < y < x
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A - z < x < y
From the first condition: 0.7x + y = 1.65y, so 0.7x = 0.65y and y = (70/65)x = (14/13)x, which is greater than x. From the second condition: 0.6x + z = 1.65z, so 0.6x = 0.65z and z = (60/65)x = (12/13)x, which is less than x. Therefore z < x < y, option (a). Options (b), (c) and (d) all contradict at least one of the derived relations y > x and z < x.
Q6
Previous year questioneasy
Rakesh had money to buy 8 mobile handsets of a specific company. But the retailer offered very good discount on that particular handset. Rakesh could buy 10 mobile handsets with the amount he had. What was the discount the retailer offered?
A15%
B20%
C25%
D30%
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 20%
Let the original price of one handset be P. Rakesh's money = 8P. After the discount, the new price d lets him buy 10 handsets: 8P = 10d, so d = 0.8P. The discount per handset = P - 0.8P = 0.2P, which is 20% of the original price. Answer (b) 20%.
Q7
Previous year questioneasy
P scored 40 marks more than Q in an examination. If Q scored 10% less marks than P, then how much did Q score?
A360
B380
C400
D420
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A - 360
Let Q's score be q, so P's score is q + 40. Q scored 10% less than P, so q = 0.9 (q + 40), giving q = 0.9q + 36, hence 0.1q = 36 and q = 360 - option (a). Quick check: P = 400 and 10% less than 400 is 360, consistent. Option (c) 400 is P's score, not Q's. Options (b) 380 and (d) 420 satisfy neither the 40-mark gap nor the 10% relation simultaneously.
Q8
Previous year questioneasy
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?
A5%
B10%
C12.5%
D15%
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 10%
Take the original price as 100. After a 25% increase: 125. After a 20% decrease: 125 x 0.8 = 100. After a 10% increase: 100 x 1.1 = 110. The net change is 110 - 100 = 10%, option (b). 5% and 15% come from wrongly adding and subtracting the percentages (25 - 20 + 10 misapplied), and 12.5% has no basis; successive percentage changes multiply rather than add.
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