After a 20% discount, a jacket costs £80. What was its price before the discount?
£96
£100
£104
£110
£120
Show answer
Answer: B. £100
£80 is 80% of the original, so the original is 80 / 0.8 = £100. Adding 20% of £80 (giving £96) is the classic slip: the discount was taken from the original price, not the sale price.
2EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
If 3x−7=11, what is the value of 2x+1?
9
11
13
15
19
Show answer
Answer: C. 13
3x=18, so x=6 and 2x+1=13.
3EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
The average (arithmetic mean) of four numbers is 15. Three of them are 12, 14 and 19. What is the fourth?
13
14
15
16
17
Show answer
Answer: C. 15
The four numbers total 4×15=60; the three known ones total 45. The fourth is 15.
4EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
A car travels 150 km in 2 hours 30 minutes. What is its average speed, in km per hour?
50
55
60
65
75
Show answer
Answer: C. 60
150 / 2.5 = 60. Writing 2 hours 30 minutes as 2.3 hours, rather than 2.5, is the trap.
5EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is 15% of 40% of 500?
20
30
45
60
75
Show answer
Answer: B. 30
40% of 500 is 200, and 15% of 200 is 30. Equivalently, 0.15×0.4=0.06, and 6% of 500 is 30.
6EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
The ratio of managers to other staff in an office is 2:9. There are 44 people in the office. How many are managers?
4
6
8
9
11
Show answer
Answer: C. 8
2 + 9 = 11 parts make 44 people, so a part is 4 and managers are 2×4=8.
7EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
If yx=43 and y=20, what is x+y?
27
32
35
38
40
Show answer
Answer: C. 35
x=43×20=15, so x+y=35.
8EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
Quarterly revenue of a consultancy (£ million)
In which quarter did revenue fall compared with the quarter before?
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
In none of the quarters
Show answer
Answer: D. Q4
Revenue rose from 12 to 15 to 18, then fell to 15 in Q4.
9MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Quarterly revenue of a consultancy (£ million)
By what percent did revenue increase from Q1 to Q3?
6%
33%
50%
60%
150%
Show answer
Answer: C. 50%
From 12 to 18 is an increase of 6 on a base of 12: 50%. 150% is 18 as a percentage of 12, not the increase.
10MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
A shop's sales rose by 10% in one year and fell by 10% the next. What was the overall change over the two years?
−2%
−1%
0%
+1%
+2%
Show answer
Answer: B. −1%
1.1×0.9=0.99, a 1% fall. The second change is applied to a larger base, so it outweighs the first.
11MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
How many integers from 1 to 100 inclusive are divisible by 4 or by 6?
25
29
33
41
50
Show answer
Answer: C. 33
Multiples of 4: 25. Multiples of 6: 16. Those counted twice are multiples of 12: 8. So 25+16−8=33.
12MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Pipe A fills an empty tank in 3 hours; pipe B, open at the same time, empties a full tank in 6 hours. If both are opened when the tank is empty, how many hours does it take to fill?
2
4
4.5
6
9
Show answer
Answer: D. 6
Net rate: 31−61=61 of the tank an hour, so 6 hours.
13MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
£2,000 is invested for 3 years at 4% a year. How much more interest does it earn if interest is compounded annually rather than simple?
£4.80
£9.73
£12.48
£24.00
£49.73
Show answer
Answer: B. £9.73
Simple interest: 3×80=£240. Compound: 2000(1.043−1)=2000×0.124864=£249.73. The difference is £9.73: interest earned on earlier interest.
14MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Two numbers have a sum of 40 and a difference of 12. What is their product?
280
336
364
400
480
Show answer
Answer: C. 364
The numbers are (40+12)/2=26 and (40−12)/2=14, and 26×14=364.
15MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
A committee of 5 is chosen from 7 people. How many different committees include one particular person?
6
15
21
35
42
Show answer
Answer: B. 15
With that person in, choose the other 4 from the remaining 6: (46)=15.
16MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
A price of £120 is increased by 25% and the new price is then reduced by 20%. What is the final price?
£114
£115
£120
£125
£126
Show answer
Answer: C. £120
1.25×0.8=1, so the price returns to £120. A 25% rise and a 20% fall cancel exactly because 45×54=1.
17MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
A 12-litre mixture is 25% juice. How many litres of juice must be added to make it 40% juice?
1.8
2
3
4.8
6
Show answer
Answer: C. 3
It holds 3 litres of juice. After adding x litres, (3+x)/(12+x)=0.4, so 3+x=4.8+0.4x and x=3.
18MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
If n is an odd integer, which of the following must be even?
n+2
3n
n2
n2+1
2n+1
Show answer
Answer: D. n2+1
An odd number squared is odd, so n2+1 is even. The other four are all odd for odd n.
19MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the average (arithmetic mean) of all the integers from −10 to 30 inclusive?
0
10
15
20
30
Show answer
Answer: B. 10
For consecutive integers the mean is the average of the first and last: (−10+30)/2=10.
20MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the units digit of 1327?
1
3
7
9
0
Show answer
Answer: C. 7
Only the units digit 3 matters. Powers of 3 end in 3, 9, 7, 1 and repeat every four. 27=4×6+3, so the digit is the third in the cycle: 7.
21MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Month-end share price (£), January–June
What was the largest percentage fall in the share price from one month-end to the next?
5%
10%
12%
20%
25%
Show answer
Answer: D. 20%
The falls are February to March (55 to 44) and May to June (60 to 57). 11 on a base of 55 is 20%; 3 on 60 is 5%.
22MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
The length of a rectangle is increased by 20% and its width is decreased by 10%. By what percent does its area change?
−2%
+2%
+8%
+10%
+30%
Show answer
Answer: C. +8%
1.2×0.9=1.08: an 8% increase. Adding the percentages (10%) ignores that the second change applies to the changed quantity.
23HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the sum of the first 20 odd positive integers minus the sum of the first 20 even positive integers?
−40
−20
0
20
40
Show answer
Answer: B. −20
Pair them: (1−2)+(3−4)+⋯+(39−40) is 20 pairs of −1, so −20. (The sums are 400 and 420.)
24HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
Two different cards are drawn at random from ten cards numbered 1 to 10. What is the probability that their numbers add up to 11?
101
91
51
92
41
Show answer
Answer: B. 91
The pairs summing to 11 are (1,10), (2,9), (3,8), (4,7), (5,6): five out of (210)=45, so 91. Equivalently, whatever the first card is, exactly one of the nine remaining cards completes 11.
25HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
A company's revenue grew by 20% and its costs by 10%, and as a result its profit (revenue minus costs) grew by 40%. What fraction of the original revenue were the original costs?
31
21
53
32
43
Show answer
Answer: D. 32
1.2R−1.1C=1.4(R−C), so 0.3C=0.2R and C/R=32. Check with R=3, C=2: profit goes from 1 to 3.6−2.2=1.4.
26HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
Eight workers can finish a job in 15 days. After 5 days, 2 of them leave and the rest continue at the same rate. How many days does the whole job take?
18
18⅓
20
21
25
Show answer
Answer: B. 18⅓
The job is 8×15=120 worker-days. After 5 days, 40 are done and 80 remain for 6 workers: 1331 days. Total 1831.
27HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
How many integers x satisfy x2−5x+6<0?
0
1
2
3
4
Show answer
Answer: A. 0
x2−5x+6=(x−2)(x−3) is negative only for 2<x<3, which contains no integer. The answer is 0; answering 2 counts the endpoints, where the expression is 0, not negative.
28HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
If 2a⋅4b=64 and a−b=1, what is the value of a?
2
38
3
310
4
Show answer
Answer: B. 38
2a⋅22b=26, so a+2b=6. With a=b+1: 3b+1=6, b=35, a=38. Nothing says the exponents are integers.
29EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the value of x?
(1)2x+5=17
(2)x2=36
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
(1) gives x=6. (2) allows 6 or −6. Statement (1) alone is sufficient.
30EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
Is the integer n even?
(1)n+1 is odd.
(2)3n is even.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
(1) n+1 odd means n is even. (2) 3 is odd, so 3n is even only when n is even. Each alone is sufficient.
31EasyEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the remainder when the positive integer n is divided by 5?
(1)n is odd.
(2)The units digit of n is 3.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(1) 1, 3, 5 give remainders 1, 3, 0: not sufficient. (2) A number ending in 3 leaves remainder 3. Statement (2) alone is sufficient.
32MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the average (arithmetic mean) of a and b?
(1)a+b=18
(2)a−b=4
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
(1) The average is 18/2=9. (2) fixes only the difference. Statement (1) alone is sufficient; you do not need a and b individually.
33MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
How many employees does company X have?
(1)40% of the employees are managers, and there are 24 managers.
(2)60% of the employees are not managers, and there are 36 employees who are not managers.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
(1) 24/0.4=60. (2) 36/0.6=60. Each alone is sufficient.
34MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Is x>0?
(1)x2>0
(2)x3>0
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(1) holds for every non-zero x, positive or negative. (2) A cube has the sign of its base, so x>0. Statement (2) alone is sufficient.
35MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Pens cost the same amount each and pencils cost the same amount each. What is the price of one pen?
(1)3 pens and 2 pencils cost £7 in total.
(2)2 pens and 3 pencils cost £8 in total.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
Each statement alone is one equation in two unknowns. Together, 3p+2q=7 and 2p+3q=8 give p=£1 (and q=£2).
36MediumEA Quantitative Reasoning
Working alone at a constant rate, how many hours does machine A take to fill an order?
(1)Machines A and B together, each at its constant rate, fill the order in 3 hours.
(2)Machine B alone fills the order in 5 hours.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
Neither alone gives A's rate. Together: 31−51=152 of the order an hour, so 7.5 hours.
37HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
Is the positive integer k divisible by 6?
(1)k is divisible by 12.
(2)k2 is divisible by 18.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
(1) Every multiple of 12 is a multiple of 6. (2) k2 divisible by 2 and by 9 means k is divisible by 2 and by 3, hence by 6. Each alone is sufficient.
38HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the median of the five numbers 3, 8, x, 11 and 5?
(1)x>8
(2)x<10
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
(1) If x>8, the three smallest values are 3, 5 and 8, so the median is 8 whatever x is. (2) x=1 gives median 5, x=9 gives 8. Statement (1) alone is sufficient.
39HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
Is xy>0?
(1)x+y>0
(2)x−y>0
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Together they give x>∣y∣, so x>0, but y can be positive (x=3,y=1: yes) or negative (x=3,y=−1: no). Not sufficient even together.
40HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
What percent of the students in a class passed an exam?
(1)18 students passed.
(2)12 students failed.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
Each alone gives one count but not the class size. Together, 18/30=60%.
41HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
Is a>b?
(1)ba>1
(2)b>0
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
(1) a=3,b=2 gives yes, but a=−3,b=−2 gives no. (2) says nothing about a. Together, multiplying ba>1 by the positive b gives a>b.
42HardEA Quantitative Reasoning
What is the value of the integer n?
(1)10<3n<20
(2)n is prime.
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
Show answer
Answer: C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
(1) allows 4, 5 or 6. (2) allows any prime. Together only 5 fits.