Test booklet: प्रश्न पुस्तिका
Booklet No.: 9158766
Series: B

IBPS PO 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. Quantitative Aptitude (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. Marks per question are shown with each part. Negative marking differs by part, as in the notice. 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 BQuantitative Aptitude

35 questions, 0.86 marks each, 0.21 off for a wrong answer

Simplify: ¹⁄₄ + ⁴⁄₅ + ³⁄₅

Question 31 ¹¹⁄₁₉ ¹⁷⁄₁₀ ³³⁄₂₀ ⁸⁄₅ ¹¹⁄₇

Answer and working
Answer C
Over the common denominator 20: the sum is ³³⁄₂₀. Adding tops and bottoms separately (11/19) is the trap.
A bag holds 6 red, 3 blue and 4 green balls. One ball is drawn at random. What is the probability that it is red?

Question 32 ⁷⁄₁₃ ³⁄₁₃ ⁶⁄₇ ¹⁄₃ ⁶⁄₁₃

Answer and working
Answer E
6 of the 13 balls are red. Probability = ⁶⁄₁₃.
The average of 6 numbers is 37. When one number is removed, the average of the rest is 33. Which number was removed?

Question 33 61 33 37 24 57

Answer and working
Answer E
Total of 6 = 6 × 37 = 222. Total of 5 = 5 × 33 = 165. Removed = 222 − 165 = 57.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + 6x = 0
II. y² + 7y + 6 = 0

Question 34 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer E
I gives x = −6 or 0. II gives y = −6 or −1. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
A shopkeeper marks his goods 60% above the cost price and allows a discount of 15%. What is his profit or loss percent?

Question 35 36% loss 75% profit 36% profit 41% profit 45% profit

Answer and working
Answer C
Take CP = 100. Marked price = 160. After 15% off: 160 × 85/100 = 136. So 36% profit.
What is the mean proportional between 20 and 80?

Question 36 60 40 80 50 30

Answer and working
Answer B
Mean proportional = √(20 × 80) = √1600 = 40.
Find the wrong number in the series: 3, 10, 31, 94, 283, 849, 2,551

Question 37 94 283 849 3 10

Answer and working
Answer C
The rule: each term is the previous × 3 + 1. The term in place of 849 should be 850, so the wrong number is 849.
Two trains 170 m and 210 m long run on parallel tracks in opposite directions at 30 km/h and 42 km/h. How long do they take to cross each other?

Question 38 38 seconds 114 seconds 68 seconds 19 seconds 21 seconds

Answer and working
Answer D
Relative speed = 30 + 42 = 72 km/h = 20 m/s. Distance = 170 + 210 = 380 m. Time = 380 ÷ 20 = 19 seconds.
Find the wrong number in the series: 89, 97, 101, 103, 110, 109, 113

Question 39 103 109 101 110 113

Answer and working
Answer D
The rule: consecutive prime numbers. The term in place of 110 should be 107, so the wrong number is 110.
What is the compound interest on ₹67,000 for 3 years at 10% per annum, compounded annually?

Question 40 ₹14,070 ₹89,177 ₹28,877 ₹22,177 ₹20,100

Answer and working
Answer D
Amount = 67,000 × (1 + 10/100)³ = ₹89,177. CI = 89,177 − 67,000 = ₹22,177.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + 5x + 4 = 0
II. y² − y − 2 = 0

Question 41 x > y x ≥ y x < y x ≤ y x = y or no relation can be established

Answer and working
Answer D
I gives x = −4 or −1. II gives y = −1 or 2. No x is greater than any y, and one value of each is equal: x ≤ y.
What is the value of 83² − 70²?

Question 42 169 1,849 1,989 23,103 2,089

Answer and working
Answer C
a² − b² = (a + b)(a − b) = 153 × 13 = 1,989.
A shopkeeper marks an article 20% above its cost price and allows a discount of 25%. If the article was sold for ₹2,385, what was its cost price?

Question 43 ₹1,988 ₹1,908 ₹2,650 ₹2,504 ₹3,180

Answer and working
Answer C
SP = CP × 1.2 × 0.75 = CP × 0.9. So CP = 2,385 ÷ 0.9 = ₹2,650.
63 litres of a mixture contains milk and water in the ratio 5 : 2. How much water must be added to make the ratio 5 : 6?

Question 44 32 litres 18 litres 38 litres 54 litres 36 litres

Answer and working
Answer E
Milk = 45 l, water = 18 l. For 5 : 6, water must be 45 × 6/5 = 54 l. Add 54 − 18 = 36 litres.
Which number replaces the question mark? 24, 27, 32, 39, 48, 59, ?

Question 45 85 70 71 72 73

Answer and working
Answer D
The rule: the differences grow by 2: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13. The missing term is 72.
Simplify: ⁵⁄₆ + ¹⁄₂ + ¹⁄₃

Question 46 ⁵⁄₄ ⁵⁄₃ ⁴⁄₃ 2 ¹⁄₂

Answer and working
Answer B
Over the common denominator 12: the sum is ⁵⁄₃. Adding tops and bottoms separately (10/20) is the trap.
Simplify: 96 + 12 × 11 − 42 ÷ 6

Question 47 191 235 221 1,181 227

Answer and working
Answer C
Division and multiplication first: 12 × 11 = 132 and 42 ÷ 6 = 7. Then 96 + 132 − 7 = 221.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² − 4x − 45 = 0
II. y² − 9y − 10 = 0

Question 48 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 9. II gives y = −1 or 10. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
Two trains 270 m and 130 m long run on parallel tracks in opposite directions at 27 km/h and 45 km/h. How long do they take to cross each other?

Question 49 80 seconds 22 seconds 20 seconds 72 seconds 40 seconds

Answer and working
Answer C
Relative speed = 27 + 45 = 72 km/h = 20 m/s. Distance = 270 + 130 = 400 m. Time = 400 ÷ 20 = 20 seconds.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² − 11x + 28 = 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 = 4 or 7. II gives y = −4 or 7. 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 ₹120 to ₹30. What is the percentage decrease?

Question 51 70% decrease 80% decrease 75% decrease 85% decrease 95% decrease

Answer and working
Answer C
Change = ₹90. On the original value: 90 ÷ 120 × 100 = 75%, a 75% decrease. Dividing by the new value, 30, is the usual slip.
A boat covers 40 km downstream in 4 hours and 10 km upstream in 5 hours. What is the speed of the boat in still water?

Question 52 10 km/h 7 km/h 12 km/h 6 km/h 4 km/h

Answer and working
Answer D
Downstream speed = 40 ÷ 4 = 10 km/h; upstream = 10 ÷ 5 = 2 km/h. Boat = (10 + 2) ÷ 2 = 6 km/h.
The present ages of Asha and her father are in the ratio 2 : 7. After 3 years, the ratio will be 1 : 3. What is Asha’s present age?

Question 53 6 years 9 years 42 years 12 years 15 years

Answer and working
Answer D
Ages 2x and 7x. (2x + 3) : (7x + 3) = 1 : 3 gives x = 6. Asha is 2 × 6 = 12 years.
Find the wrong number in the series: 9, 16, 30, 58, 114, 228, 450

Question 54 228 9 16 450 58

Answer and working
Answer A
The rule: each term is the previous × 2 − 2. The term in place of 228 should be 226, so the wrong number is 228.
174 is what percent of 1,160?

Question 55 85% 30% 10% 20% 15%

Answer and working
Answer E
174 ÷ 1,160 × 100 = 15%.
Solve both equations and compare x and y.
I. x² + 6x − 27 = 0
II. y² − 12y + 11 = 0

Question 56 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 3. II gives y = 1 or 11. Some x are bigger and some smaller than some y, so no single relation holds: x = y or no relation can be established.
Find the wrong number in the series: 47, 53, 56, 61, 67, 71, 73

Question 57 47 56 53 73 67

Answer and working
Answer B
The rule: consecutive prime numbers. The term in place of 56 should be 59, so the wrong number is 56.
Directions for questions 58 to 62
Study the table and answer the questions that follow.
Students enrolled in five coaching centres, in two successive years
Centre Year 1 Year 2
Centre A 700 980
Centre B 340 442
Centre C 580 638
Centre D 260 325
Centre E 620 651
By what percent did Centre D’s figure change from Year 1 to Year 2?

Question 58 25% decrease 27% increase 30% increase 25% increase 20% increase

Answer and working
Answer D
Change = 325 − 260 = 65. On Year 1: 65 ÷ 260 × 100 = 25% increase.
What is the average Year 2 figure of the five?

Question 59 553.6 607.2 500 617.2 597.2

Answer and working
Answer B
Sum of Year 2 = 3,036. ÷ 5 = 607.2.
What is the total for Centre A over the two years?

Question 60 1,351 1,660 1,960 1,680 1,700

Answer and working
Answer D
700 + 980 = 1,680.
What is the ratio of Centre C’s Year 1 figure to Centre B’s Year 2 figure?

Question 61 319 : 221 290 : 221 319 : 170 221 : 290 29 : 17

Answer and working
Answer B
580 : 442 = 290 : 221.
Which one grew the most in percentage terms from Year 1 to Year 2?

Question 62 Centre A Centre E Centre B Centre C Centre D

Answer and working
Answer A
Growth: Centre A 40%, Centre B 30%, Centre C 10%, Centre D 25%, Centre E 5%. The highest is Centre A.
What is the simple interest on ₹57,500 at 14% per annum for 3 years?

Question 63 ₹81,650 ₹24,150 ₹8,050 ₹25,875 ₹16,100

Answer and working
Answer B
SI = P × R × T / 100 = 57,500 × 14 × 3 / 100 = ₹24,150.
What is √729 + √676 − √169?

Question 64 38 35 40 42 14

Answer and working
Answer C
27 + 26 − 13 = 40.
A is twice as efficient as B. Together they finish a job in 20 days. How long would A take alone?

Question 65 10 days 30 days 40 days 60 days 32 days

Answer and working
Answer B
If B does 1 unit a day, A does 2; together 3 units a day for 20 days = 60 units. A alone: 60 ÷ 2 = 30 days.

IBPS PO Prelims Paper 8

Instructions निर्देश

Part AEnglish Language

Part BQuantitative Aptitude

Part CReasoning Ability

Centre	Year 1	Year 2
Centre A	700	980
Centre B	340	442
Centre C	580	638
Centre D	260	325
Centre E	620	651