Test booklet: प्रश्न पुस्तिका
Booklet No.: 3577712
Series: A

IBPS Clerk Prelims Paper 8

Questions: 100
Maximum marks: 100
Minutes allowed: 60

Instructions निर्देश

This booklet has 100 questions in 3 parts: A. English Language (30), B. Numerical Ability (35), C. Reasoning Ability (35).
Each part has its own clock. When it runs out, that part closes and the next opens.
Each question has 5 options and one right answer. A right answer earns 1 mark. A wrong answer costs 0.25. A question left blank scores nothing.
Fill one bubble per question on the answer sheet. Unlike a real sheet, you can clear it and change your mind.

Scripting is off, so this page is a printed paper: answer on paper, then open each question’s working.

Part BNumerical Ability

35 questions, 1 mark each, 0.25 off for a wrong answer

Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² − 7x − 60 = 0
II. y² − 3y − 108 = 0

Question 31 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer E
I gives x = −5 or 12. II gives y = −9 or 12. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
Simplify: 39 + 11 × 4 − 15 ÷ 5

Question 32 80 197 86 85 37

Answer and working
Answer A
Division and multiplication first: 11 × 4 = 44 and 15 ÷ 5 = 3. Then 39 + 44 − 3 = 80.
Directions for questions 33 to 37
Study the table and answer the questions that follow.
Bicycles sold by five shops, in two successive years
Shop Year 1 Year 2
Shop P 380 304
Shop Q 360 450
Shop R 220 253
Shop S 440 506
Shop T 740 1,036
By what percent did Shop T’s figure change from Year 1 to Year 2?

Question 33 40% decrease 35% increase 45% increase 28.57% increase 40% increase

Answer and working
Answer E
Change = 1,036 − 740 = 296. On Year 1: 296 ÷ 740 × 100 = 40% increase.
Shop Q’s Year 2 figure is what percent of Shop R’s Year 2 figure?

Question 34 187.87% 163.64% 167.87% 56.22% 177.87%

Answer and working
Answer E
450 ÷ 253 × 100 = 177.87%.
What is the ratio of Shop T’s Year 1 figure to Shop Q’s Year 2 figure?

Question 35 259 : 90 45 : 74 37 : 18 74 : 45 518 : 225

Answer and working
Answer D
740 : 450 = 74 : 45.
What is the average Year 2 figure of the five?

Question 36 509.8 468.9 428 519.8 499.8

Answer and working
Answer A
Sum of Year 2 = 2,549. ÷ 5 = 509.8.
Which one grew the most in percentage terms from Year 1 to Year 2?

Question 37 Shop S Shop Q Shop P Shop R Shop T

Answer and working
Answer E
Growth: Shop P −20%, Shop Q 25%, Shop R 15%, Shop S 15%, Shop T 40%. The highest is Shop T.
What is √256 + √625 − √196?

Question 38 29 5 26 25 27

Answer and working
Answer E
16 + 25 − 14 = 27.
Two fair dice are thrown together. What is the probability that both show the same number?

Question 39 ¹⁄₄ ¹⁄₂ ¹⁄₆ ⁷⁄₃₆ ⁵⁄₆

Answer and working
Answer C
There are 36 equally likely outcomes and 6 of them qualify. Probability = ¹⁄₆.
A scooter runs at 72 km/h. What is its speed in metres per second?

Question 40 40 m/s 15 m/s 20 m/s 25 m/s 36 m/s

Answer and working
Answer C
Multiply by 5/18: 72 × 5/18 = 20 m/s.
What is the difference between the compound interest and the simple interest on ₹41,250 for 2 years at 12% per annum?

Question 41 ₹297 ₹4,950 ₹594 ₹1,188 ₹5,940

Answer and working
Answer C
For 2 years, CI − SI = P × (R/100)² = 41,250 × (12/100)² = ₹594.
A number is first increased by 30% and then decreased by 20%. What is the net change?

Question 42 4% increase 6% decrease 4% decrease 16% increase 10% increase

Answer and working
Answer A
Net effect = 30 − 20 − (30 × 20)/100 = 4%, so 4% increase.
Which number replaces the question mark? 15, 45, 19, 41, 23, 37, 27, ?

Question 43 32 34 33 39 17

Answer and working
Answer C
The rule: two series alternate: 15, 19, 23 … rising by 4, and 45, 41, 37 … falling by 4. The missing term is 33.
55 litres of a mixture contains milk and water in the ratio 3 : 2. How much water must be added to make the ratio 1 : 3?

Question 44 79 litres 81 litres 99 litres 75 litres 77 litres

Answer and working
Answer E
Milk = 33 l, water = 22 l. For 1 : 3, water must be 33 × 3/1 = 99 l. Add 99 − 22 = 77 litres.
A train 230 m long passes a signal post in 23 seconds. What is its speed in km/h?

Question 45 36 km/h 18 km/h 54 km/h 27 km/h 10 km/h

Answer and working
Answer A
Speed = 230 ÷ 23 = 10 m/s = 10 × 18/5 = 36 km/h.
What is the fourth proportional to 5, 25 and 70?

Question 46 420 350 90 14 355

Answer and working
Answer B
5 : 25 = 70 : x, so x = 25 × 70 ÷ 5 = 350.
Two successive discounts of 50% and 10% are equal to a single discount of:

Question 47 55% 50% 60% 57.5% 57%

Answer and working
Answer A
Single discount = 50 + 10 − (50 × 10)/100 = 55%. The second discount is taken on the already reduced price, so the two do not simply add.
Section A has 40 students with an average score of 45; section B has 32 students averaging 63. What is the average score of both sections together?

Question 48 63 54 53 55 52

Answer and working
Answer C
(40 × 45 + 32 × 63) ÷ 72 = 3816 ÷ 72 = 53. The plain mean of 45 and 63 ignores the sizes of the sections.
What is the simple interest on ₹36,000 at 14% per annum for 2 years?

Question 49 ₹10,800 ₹10,080 ₹5,040 ₹46,080 ₹10,280

Answer and working
Answer B
SI = P × R × T / 100 = 36,000 × 14 × 2 / 100 = ₹10,080.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + 10x + 9 = 0
II. y² + 3y − 28 = 0

Question 50 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer E
I gives x = −9 or −1. II gives y = −7 or 4. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
The fare for a journey goes from ₹980 to ₹1,568. What is the percentage increase?

Question 51 65% increase 60% increase 50% increase 55% increase 37.5% increase

Answer and working
Answer B
Change = ₹588. On the original value: 588 ÷ 980 × 100 = 60%, a 60% increase. Dividing by the new value, 1,568, is the usual slip.
The present ages of Asha and her father are in the ratio 3 : 7. After 8 years, the ratio will be 1 : 2. What is Asha’s present age?

Question 52 56 years 8 years 24 years 32 years 16 years

Answer and working
Answer C
Ages 3x and 7x. (3x + 8) : (7x + 8) = 1 : 2 gives x = 8. Asha is 3 × 8 = 24 years.
Simplify: 66 + 14 × 10 − 50 ÷ 5

Question 53 196 790 216 150 201

Answer and working
Answer A
Division and multiplication first: 14 × 10 = 140 and 50 ÷ 5 = 10. Then 66 + 140 − 10 = 196.
Two successive discounts of 50% and 10% are equal to a single discount of:

Question 54 57.5% 55% 57% 60% 50%

Answer and working
Answer B
Single discount = 50 + 10 − (50 × 10)/100 = 55%. The second discount is taken on the already reduced price, so the two do not simply add.
Which number replaces the question mark? 8, 34, 13, 30, 18, 26, 23, ?

Question 55 24 23 21 20 22

Answer and working
Answer E
The rule: two series alternate: 8, 13, 18 … rising by 5, and 34, 30, 26 … falling by 4. The missing term is 22.
Simplify: ¹⁄₂ + ⁵⁄₆ + ³⁄₈

Question 56 ⁹⁄₁₆ ⁴¹⁄₂₄ ⁴¹⁄₂₅ ⁷⁄₄ ⁵⁄₃

Answer and working
Answer B
Over the common denominator 24: the sum is ⁴¹⁄₂₄. Adding tops and bottoms separately (9/16) is the trap.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + x − 56 = 0
II. y² − y − 30 = 0

Question 57 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer E
I gives x = −8 or 7. II gives y = −5 or 6. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
Which number replaces the question mark? 4, 10, 22, 46, 94, 190, ?

Question 58 381 382 574 286 383

Answer and working
Answer B
The rule: each term is the previous × 2 + 2. The missing term is 382.
A boat covers 28 km downstream in 2 hours and 30 km upstream in 3 hours. What is the speed of the stream?

Question 59 3 km/h 1 km/h 2 km/h 4 km/h 12 km/h

Answer and working
Answer C
Downstream speed = 28 ÷ 2 = 14 km/h; upstream = 30 ÷ 3 = 10 km/h. Stream = (14 − 10) ÷ 2 = 2 km/h.
Which number replaces the question mark? 20, 70, 24, 66, 28, 62, 32, ?

Question 60 2 84 57 58 59

Answer and working
Answer D
The rule: two series alternate: 20, 24, 28 … rising by 4, and 70, 66, 62 … falling by 4. The missing term is 58.
Which number replaces the question mark? 2, 3, ?, 27, 112, 565

Question 61 8 4 7 9 13

Answer and working
Answer A
The rule: each term is the previous × 1 + 1, × 2 + 2, × 3 + 3, and so on. The missing term is 8.
Simplify: 71 + 4 × 10 − 20 ÷ 4

Question 62 183 106 110 745 116

Answer and working
Answer B
Division and multiplication first: 4 × 10 = 40 and 20 ÷ 4 = 5. Then 71 + 40 − 5 = 106.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² − 19x + 90 = 0
II. y² − 7y − 18 = 0

Question 63 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer B
I gives x = 9 or 10. II gives y = −2 or 9. No x is smaller than any y, and one value of each is equal: x ≥ y.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + 17x + 72 = 0
II. y² + 2y − 15 = 0

Question 64 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer C
I gives x = −9 or −8. II gives y = −5 or 3. Every x is smaller than every y: x < y.
A and B together can do a job in 9 days. A alone can do it in 10 days. In how many days can B alone do it?

Question 65 80 days 90 days 19 days 18 days 99 days

Answer and working
Answer B
B’s one day = 1/9 − 1/10 = 1/90. B alone takes 90 days.

IBPS Clerk Prelims Paper 8

Instructions निर्देश

Part AEnglish Language

Part BNumerical Ability

Part CReasoning Ability

Shop	Year 1	Year 2
Shop P	380	304
Shop Q	360	450
Shop R	220	253
Shop S	440	506
Shop T	740	1,036