Chapter 02

Simplification

This chapter discusses the fundamentals of simplifying and solving many quantitative
aptitude problems. The combination of the basic arithmetic operations such as addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division are to be simplified. The hierarchy of doing such
operations is shown below with the acronym VBODMAS

V – Vinculam (Bar)

B – Brackets

O – Of

D – Division

M – Multiplication

A - Addition

S – Subtraction

In a problem first vinculam (also known as bar) (if any) should be done, then ‘brackets’ and then
‘of’ and so on should be done as shown in the acronym.

Eg.1. =?

In the above operations first do the operation within the ‘bracket’. This results as 7 - 2×3. There
are two operations at this stage in the expression such as × and - . Now after carrying out the
multiplication operation, subtraction can be done. The stages of operations are explained below.

Question =?

Stage 1 7 - 2×3 (after carrying out the operation within the bracket)

Stage 2 7 -6 (after carrying out the multiplication operation)

Stage 3 1 (after carrying out the multiplication operation)

Hence = 1.

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Eg.2. 30% of 40 = ?

‘Of’ might be replaced by multiplication and 30% can be written as

Now the expression is written as and the result is found as 12.

The algebraic formulas are also frequently used for simplifying the problems to find
solutions. The formulas frequently used are below given.

+ =

- =

Let us examine how these formulas are used in simplifying expressions to get easy solutions.

Eg3. 102×98 = ?

On close observation of the given values for multiplication, one can easily understand that the
values are each deviating two from hundred. The given expression can be written as (100+2)
(100-2). Now apply the algebraic equation =

102×98 = (100+2) (100-2)

= 1002- 22

= 10000 – 4= 9996

To find out squares or cubes algebraic formulas can be very well used.

Eg 4. 922=?

2
92 is written as the nearest ten digit number and the unit digit number as 90+2

922= (90+2)2

Now apply the algebraic equation

(90+2)2 =

= 8100+360+4 = 8464

Arithmetic operations and simplification in Fractions

Fractions are classified as proper, improper and mixed fractions. When denominator is more than
the numerator the fraction is known as proper fraction and when the denominator is less than the

numerator the fraction is known as improper fraction. Consider and . The fraction is

called as proper fraction and the fraction is called as improper fraction. Improper fractions

can be written in the form of mixed fraction. When numerator is divided by the denominator, the
quotient is written as integer and the remainder is taken into the fraction form.

Divide 14 by 3. The quotient is 4 and the remainder is 2. Hence the mixed fraction is 4

i.e. =4

While converting the mixed fraction into improper fraction, multiply the denominator of the
fraction part with the integer and add with the numerator. The result is taken to the numerator
and the denominator is kept as the same.

Consider . The given fraction is mixed fraction. To convert the given fraction into the

improper fraction, do the calculation as shown

Addition and Subtraction of fractions

3
Eg.5.

Solution:

Find the LCM of the denominators 15, 20 and 12. The LCM is 60

In the first fraction the numerator 15 is multiplied by 4 to get the LCM and hence multiply the
numerator of the first fraction with 4. The first fraction becomes

The same operations might be done in the other two fractions and the results are and

= + +

The fraction can further be simplified by dividing both numerator and denominator with the

common divider 20 i.e., =

Eg 6.

Note: The question is similar to the previous example but the third fraction should be subtracted

Solution: The same procedure we discussed in the earlier example is followed.

Multiplication and Division of fractions

While multiplying the fractions the denominator must be multiplied by the denominator
and the numerator must be multiplied by the numerator.

Eg.7. ?

4
 Solution

While dividing two fractions the divisor is reciprocated and multiplied with the other

Eg. 8.

Solution

Decimals and Fractions

Decimals can be converted into its equivalent fractions and vice versa. Knowing and practicing
the conversions will help in solving the problems quickly and easily.

Examples: Decimals into Fractions

0.5 =

0.25 =

0.33=

Examples: Fractions into Decimals

Eg. 9. Find X: 40 per cent of 240 + X per cent of 40 = 100

Solution

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 9600+40X = 10000

40X = 10000- 9600 = 400

Eg.10.

Solution

Exercise 04

1. Find the value of

a) 1 b) c)

d)

2. Find x :

a) 0.505 b) 0.667 c) 1.547 d) 0.333

3. If and 6x+15Y = 152, then what is the value of 6x?

a) 14 b) 16 c)18 d) 30

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4. 2/5 of 10/13 of 39/20 of a number is 60 percent of 240, find the number

a) 240 b) 160 c)320 d) 300

5. Simplify

a) 3 b) 2 c) d)

6. The sum of and its reciprocal is how much more than one?

a) b) c) d) 2

7. Find the smallest fraction to make the sum of the fractions

a) b) c) d)

8. Find the value of

a) b) c) d)

9. What should be added with to get a perfect square?

a) 196 b) 600 c) 324 d) 225

10. If then find the value of

a) 47 b) 49 c) 45 d) 49.09

11.

a) 160 b) 12 c) 10 d) 100

12. If find x

a) b) 4 c) d)

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13. (1- (1- (1- )…(1- =?

a) 0.01 b) 1/2 c) 1.0 d) 0.02

14. =?

a) 12.12 b) 14 ½ c) 13.35 d)15.86

15. Find the value of 5-

a) b) c) d)

16. The equivalent fraction of the recurring decimal 0.123123123….is

a) b) c) d)

17. The square root of 21609 is

a) 143 b) 147 c) 163 d) 169

18. Along a straight road of 500m long, 51 posts are placed at equal distance. What is the
distance between the second post and the sixth post?

a) 18m b) 19m c) 20m d) 21m

19. In a fraction, if the numerator is added with the three times of the denominator and the
denominator s added with the four times of the numerator the fraction becomes one (unit). Find
the fraction

a) 1/4 b) 1/6 c)2/3 d) 3/4

20. In a class there are five rows of seating armament is made. Each row has six seats. If six
students are seated in each row two students will be left without seats. If five students are seated
in each row, how many students will be left without seats?

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 a) 4 b) 6 c)7 d) 5

21. A bottle of palm oil is 3/5th full. If a person uses 1/5th of the oil in the bottle, he can use the oil
for 6 days. If the capacity of the bottle is one liter, how much oil does he use daily?

a) 48ml b) 60 ml c) 90ml d) 120ml

22. In a row of persons facing north direction, Kumar stands at the middle. Vijay stands to the
right of kumar. Arunmozhi stands at 4/5th of the persons from left. If there are 15 persons in the
row, how many persons are in the queue in between Vijay and Arunmozhi?

a) 4 b) 2 c) 3 d) 5

23. In a queue 2/3rd of the persons of the queue stand before Aruna and 3/10 of the persons of the
queue stand after Aruna. What could be the minimum number of persons in the queue?

a) 40 b) 32 c) 27 d) 30

24. A play school teacher distributed toys among kids two numbers each and left with a toy. If
the teacher had distributed three toys per kid, five kids would have left without toys. How many
kids were there in the play school?

a) 16 b) 12 c) 32 d) 33

25. A man receives Rs 200 increment with the salary every month to that of the previous month
salary. On the twelfth month, if he receives Rs 14200 as salary what will be his initial (first
month) salary?

a) Rs10000 b) Rs 11000 c) Rs 12000 d) Rs 11800

26. In a workshop there are three machines such as M1, M2and M3. First machine (M1) was
loaded with job in every 30 minutes and machine two (M2) in every 40 minutes machine three
(M3) in every 60 minutes. The processing time is 10 minutes in all the machines. If all are loaded
with 9 o’ clock in the morning on what time again will they start working simultaneously?

a) 10 am b) 11am c) 12 am d) 11.30 am

27. Find the value of

9
 a) b) c) d)

28. If =9 and find

a) 14 b) 12 c) 13 d) 16

29. Find the value of

a) 0.4 b) 0.5 c) 420 d) 42

30. If , find the value of

a) b) c) d)

31. Find the value of

a) 1874 b)1660 c)1000 d) 10000

32. Simplify

a) 0.4 b) 0.6 c) 0.5 d) 0.65

33. A person takes 3 hrs to travel from a place A to place B at an average speed of 40 km per
hour. If he travels first half of the distance by bus and the next 1/8 th of the distance by car and the
remaining distance by scooter. How long is covered by the man by scooter?

a) 90 Kms b) 60 Kms c) 45 Kms d) 25Kms

34. A person gave 1/3rd of his savings to his only son and 1/6th of his savings to charity and the
remaining to his wife. His son spent half of the amount received from his father and left with Rs
15000. How much amount would have been received by the wife?

a) Rs 90000 b) Rs 360000 c) Rs 40000 d) Rs 45000

35. In a wallet there are one rupee, two rupee and five rupee coins. The number of two rupee
coins is double the number of one rupee coins and the number of five rupee coins is thrice the
number of one rupee coins. The total amount in the wallet is Rs 240. How many five rupee coins
are in the wallet?

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 a) 90 b) 36 c) 42 d) 45

36. In a competitive examination, each right answer was given 2 marks and for each wrong
answer half mark was deducted. Mr. Arun scored 110 marks. Among the questions answered, it
was found that20 questions were answered wrong. The question paper had 100 questions. How
many questions were not attended by him?

a) 14 b) 60 c)30 d) 20

37. Rs 60 was divided among two brothers such that one seventh of the amount received by the
elder brother was equal to one fifth of the younger son. What would be the amount received by
the elder brother?

a) 44 b) 36 c)35 d) 25

38. A meeting in an auditorium starts with half of the seats filled by the audience. After 15
minutes 30 new persons arrived 20 left out. In another 15 minutes the auditorium is 3/4 th filled
with the arrival of 50 new persons. Find the seating capacity of the auditorium.

a) 240 b) 160 c)320 d) 300

39. A sales manager is given Rs 4500 for his tour expenses. If he exceeds his tour by 6 days, he
must cut down his daily expenses by Rs.25. for how many days is the sales manager on tour?

a) 24 days b) 30 days c) 32 days d) 16 days

40. While A answers five questions, B answers three questions. A answers three questions right
out of five and B answers four questions right out of five. How many right answers would have
been answered by A by the time B answered 24 right answers?

a) 16 b) 18 c) 24 d) 15

41. Two times of an amount received by a person A is equal to three times of an amount received
by person B and is also equal to five times of an amount received by person C. If the total
amount received by them is Rs 9300, how much more amount is received by C?

a) Rs 1600 b) Rs1800 c) Rs 2400 d) Rs 1500

42. The cost of a computer and two televisions is Rs 82,000 and the cost of two computers and
three televisions is Rs 1,39,000. What is the cost of four computers?

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 a) 1.28 Lakhs b) 1.46 Lakhs c)1.256 Lakhs d) 1.00 Lakh

43. In a cattle farm there are some sheep and hens. If the heads of sheep and hens are counted,
the result is 50. If the legs of sheep and hens are counted, the result is 160. If two more sheep are
added to the cattle farm, totally how many sheep will be in the cattle farm?

a) 43 b) 37 c)30 d) 32

44. The cost of two chairs, three computer tables and four dressing tables is Rs 29300 and the
cost of four chairs, six computer tables and 9 dressing tables is Rs 64600. What is the cost of two
dressing tables?

a) Rs 14000 b) Rs 16000 c) Rs 12000 d) 30000

45. The cost of 6 pens equals to the cost of 16 pencils. The total cost of 12 pens and 10 pencils
equals to Rs 126. Find the cost of 15 pens

a) Rs 140 b) Rs 120 c) Rs 160 d) 300

46. If then find the ratio between p and q

a) 4:3 b) 3:7 c)2:3 d) 2:5

47. The sum of the digits of a two digit number is 9. If the digits are interchanged then the
difference between the numbers is 27. Find the least number.

a) 63 b) 36 c) 27 d) 45

48. If then find

a) 1.960 b) 2.125 c) 3.083 d) 2.025

49. If then which of the following expression is right?

a) b) c) d) None of these

50. If then what is the value of

a) 19 b) 11 c) 14 d) 22

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 Key answers

1-c 2-b 3-b 4-a 5-c 6- b

7-b 8-b 9-c 10-a 11-d 12- d

13-a 14-c 15-b 16-a 17-b 18-c

19-c 20-c 21-d 22-b 23-d 24-a

25-c 26- b 27-a 28-a 29-b 30-d

31-a 32-c 33- c 34-d 35-b 36-d

37- c 38-a 39-b 40-b 41-b 42-a

43-d 44-c 45-b 46-d 47-b 48-d

49-b 50-b

Explanations

1. Option C

Solution :

2. Option B

Solution :

On cross multiplication

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3. Option B

Solution :

4. Option A

Solution:

= 240

5. Option C

Solution :

6. Option B

Solution :

The sum of and its reciprocal = =

The result is more than one

14
 Hence the result =

7. Option B

Solution:

The next nearest whole number of the sum =21

Therefore the required fraction =

8. Option B

Solution:

Let a = 3x and b= 5x

= =

9. Option C

Solution:

Let X be added with

+ X is a perfect square

The expression follows the algebraic form =

Therefore 36a can be re written as 2

Hence X=

10. Option A

Solution:

15
 = = =49

11. Option D

Solution

Let a- 4.51 ; 2a = 2×4.51= 9.02 and b = 5.49

Hence

12. Option D

Solution :

13. Option A

Solution :

1- = =

Similarly 1- =

16
 (1- (1- (1- )…(1- =

14. Option C

Solution:

15. Option B

Solution :

= = =

= = = = =

5- = 5- = =

16. Option A

Solution :

Let X=0.123123123…

17
1000X- X = 123.123123…- 0.123123…

999X= 123

17. Option B

Solution

Since the unit digit of the given number 21609 is 9 the unit digit of the square root must be either
3 or 7 and hence option 4 can be eliminated.

= 147

18. Option C

Solution

There are 51 posts placed at equal distance. Hence there are 50 equal gaps

The distance (gap) between any two consecutive posts = 500÷50=5m

The distance between 2nd and 6th post = 4×5=20 m

19. Option C

Solution

Let the numerator be x and the denominator be y.

Hence the fraction be

20. Option C

Solution

Number of students if six students seated in each row = 5 6 +2 =32

21. Option D

Solution

Oil used per day = 3/5th of 1/5th of the oil in the bottle

Quantity of oil in the bottle = ml =600 ml

Quantity of oil used per day = 1/5th of 600 = ml

22. Option B

Solution

Clearly since the row has 15 persons kumar is at 8th position ( Middle) and vijay is at 9th posion.
Arunmozhi stands at 12 th position (4/5th of 15 persons). Hence there are two persons in between
Vijay and Arunmozhi.

23. Option D

Solution

Let the number of persons in the queue = x

(Note 1 in the above expression refers Aruna)

The number of persons in the queue x =30

24. Option A

Solution

Let the number of kids in the play school = x

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The teacher distributed two toys for each kid and left with a toy. Therefore numbers of
toys were there. If there toys were distributed, five kids would have not received toys. Therefore
the numbers of toys were there.

Number of kids in the play school =16

25. Option C

Solution

12th month salary =Rs 14200

On 12th month the increment from the initial salary = 11×200= Rs 2200

The first month salary = 14200-2200= Rs 12000

26. Option B

Solution

On every 30, 40 and 60 minutes the machines are loaded with jobs respectively.

All the machines will be loaded simultaneously at the time of the common multiples of 30,40,60
like 120,240,360 minutes and so on

If the machines are loaded with job at 9 o’ clock again after 120 minutes ( 2hrs) at 11 o’clocks
the machines will be simultaneously loaded again.

27. Option A

Solution

= =

28. Option A

20
 Solution

29. Option B

Solution

Let a=169 and b = 251

30. Option D

Solution

31. Option A

Solution

= 1437+437 = 1874

32. Option C

Solution

Let a= 1.5 and b=1

= =

21
33. Option C

Solution

The total distance between A and B = 3×40=120 kms

The distance covered by scooter = of the distance

The distance covered by scooter = kms

34. Option D

Solution

Let the person’s savings be x

The amount spent by the son ½ of 1/3th of the savings = 15000

Portion of the savings received by the wife = of the savings

35. Option B

Solution

Let the number of one rupee coins in the wallet = x

The number of two rupee coins in the wallet =2x

The number of five rupee coins in the wallet =3x

The total amount of one rupee coins, two rupee coins and three rupee coins are 1×x,

2×2 x and 5×3 x respectively.

x +2×2 x + 5×3 x = 240 20 x = 240

X =

22
 Number of five rupee coins in the wallet = 3x = 3×12= 36

36. Option D

Solution

Let the number of right answers x

Rightly answered questions + Wrongly answered questions + question not attended = 100

60+20+ questions not attended=100

Questions not attended = 100-80= 20

37. Option C

Solution

Let the amount received by the elder and younger brother be x and y respectively.

38. Option A

Solution

In the first 30 minutes number of persons arrived = 30-20+50 = 60

Initially the auditorium is half filled later 30 minute 3/4th filled

Therefore the number of persons arrived during the 30 minutes = 1/4th of the capacity

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1/4th capacity = 60. Therefore the tot al capacity = 60 ×4 =240

39. Option B

Solution

Let the number of days of tour planned = x

Planned daily expenses =

Current Expenses due to cut down of cost by Rs 25 =

Divide by 25 on both sides

The number of days the sales manager on tour = 30 days

40. Option B

Solution

For each four right answers five questions are attempted (answered) by person B

The number of questions would have been answered by B for 24 right answers =

For each three right answers five questions are attempted (answered) by person A

The number of right answers would have been answered by A for 30 questions=

41. Option B

Solution

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 Let the amount received by A,B and C be a,b and c

2a=3b=5c

--- eqn 1

Eqn1 ×6

31c=55800 c=

42. Option A

Solution

Let the cost of computer as X and the cost of television Y

X + 2Y = 82000 ---- Eqn 1

2X+3Y = 139000 ---- Eqn 2

Multiply Eqn I by the number 2

2X+4Y = 164000 ---- Eqn 3

By solving eqn 2 & eqn 3

Y= 164000-13900 =25000

The value of Y is substituted in equation 1 to get the value of X

X+ 2× 25000=82000

X = 82000-50000= 32000

The cost of four computers = 4X= 4×32000 =128000

= 1.28 lakhs

43. Option D

Solution
25
 Let the number of sheeps and hens x and y respectively

x + y = 50 ----- Eqn 1

A sheep has four legs and a hen has two legs

4x + 2y = 160 ---- Eqn 2

From eqn1

Y= 50-x which is substituted in equation 2

4x + 2(50-x) = 160

4x-2x+100= 160

2x =60 x=30

Total sheep in the cattle farm= x+2 = 30+2 = 32

44. Option C

Solution

Let the cost of chair, computer table and dressing table be x,y and z respectively

---- eqn 1

and ----eqn 2

Eqn 2 can be re arranged as below

The cost of two dressing tables = 2×6000=12000

45. Option B

Solution

Let the cost of pen as x and the cost of a pencil as y

6x= 16 y and

12x +10y =126 2×6x + 10y = 2×16y + 10y=126

32y + 10y=126 42y = 126

From the equation 6 x = 16 y

x=

The cost of 15 pens = 15×8 = Rs 120

46. Option D

Solution

47. Option B

Solution

Let the two digit number be xy

--- eqn1

The value of the number can be written as

The value of the reversed number =

The difference =

i.e.

----eqn 2

From eqn 1 & eqn 2

On substituting the value of x in eqn 1

The least number = 36

48. Option C

Solution

i.e.

= =

49. Option B

Solution

Let =K i.e : and

3×4 =12

50. Option B

28
Solution

Let =K

-------

29