UPSC civil services questions with answers for practice,UPSC Comprehension ,Interpersonal skills including communication skills; Logical reasoning and analytical ability Decision-making and problem-solving General mental ability Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. – Class X level)
UPSC Civil services IAS English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level)
General mental ability questions with answers
1. Complete the series :
11, 12, 17, 18, 23, 24 …
(1) 30
(2) 35
(3) 12
(4) 14
(5) None of these
Ans : (5)
Explanation : Alternate numbers increase by 6.
2. Complete the series :
1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216 …..
(1) 343
(2) 512
(3) 729
(4) 1000
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
Explanation : The series is
13, 23, 33, 43 …….
Hence missing figure : 73 = 343
3. Suppose you are in charge of a Military Command guarding a bridge and you receive a message from the bridge that the enemy forces have almost reached the other side of the bridge. What telephone message would you send ?
(1) Order air-shelling
(2) Break the bridge
(3) Send more troops
(4) Surrender to them
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
4. Supply the missing figure :
3, 11, 8, 16, 13 …. 18
(1) 15
(2) 17
(3) 14
(4) 21
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : In the series take alternate terms and see, it is increasing by 5.
Thus missing figure is 16 + 5 = 21
11, 16, (16 + 5), …..
5. Usha is twice as old as Rita. Three years ago she was three times as old as Rita. How old is Usha now ?
(1) 7 years
(2) 9 years
(3) 6 years
(4) 12 years
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : Now U = 2R (U – Usha’s age R – Rita’s age)
Three years ago,
(U – 3) = 3(R – 3)
∴ (2R – 3) = 3(R – 3) (∴ U = 2R)
⇒ R = 6
⇒ U = 2 (6) = 12 years.
6. If R2 = S3 = K, where R, S and K are integers. Find the smallest positive integral value of K. (Greater than 1)
(1) 4
(2) 8
(3) 27
(4) 64
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
7. A man had returned after a day’s bird-shooting. He was asked how many birds he had in the bag. He said “they are all sparrows but six; all pigeons but six and all doves but six”, How many birds had he in all ?
(1) 18
(2) 9
(3) 27
(4) 64
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : Let the no. of birds be x
∴ (x – 6) + (x – 6) + (x – 6) = x
∴ 3x – 18 = x
⇒ 2x = 18 ⇒ x = 9.
8. I am sixth in the queue from either end. How many people are there in the queue ?
(1) 13
(2) 12
(3) 11
(4) 10
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
9. Complete the series :
81, 69, 58, 48, 39 ……..
(1) 7
(2) 10
(3) 22
(4) 31
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : Here, the series goes like this
81 – 12 = 69 – 11 = 58 – 10 = 48 – 9 = 39 – 8 = 31.
10. If HKUJ means FISH, what does UVCD mean ?
(1) STAR
(2) STAK
(3) STAL
(4) STAB
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : HKUJ means FISH
The word FISH is obtained from the word HKUJ by replacing every alphabet by the second alphabet to the left of each alphabet of the word HKUJ. Applying same rule to UVCD we can see that. UVCD means STAB
11. Complete the series :
1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 ….
(1) 34
(2) 1
(3) 30
(4) 35
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : In this series, the term is obtained by adding previous two terms.
12. If Gopal runs slower than Krishna and Krishna runs as fast but not faster than Hargobind, then does Hargobind run faster or slower than Gopal ?
(1) Slower
(2) Equal
(3) Same
(4) Faster
(5) None of the
Ans : (4)
13. Supply the missing figure :
2, 6, 12, 20, 30 … 56
(1) 42
(2) 38
(3) 46
(4) 56
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
Explanation : The series is 12 + 1, 22 + 2, 32 + 3, 42 + 4, 52 + 5, 62 + 6 ……
Hence missing figure : 62 + 6 = 42
14. Supply the missing figure :
1, 4, 9, 16, 25 …. 49
(1) 27
(2) 36
(3) 64
(4) 81
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : The series is 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72 ……
∴ Missing figure = 62 = 36
15. A Shephered had 17 sheep. All but nine died. How many did he have left ?
(1) 9
(2) 8
(3) 12
(4) 7
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
16. Write the next number in the series : 14, 16, 13, 17, 12, 18, 11 ….
(1) 12
(2) 19
(3) 22
(4) 14
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : Sree the alternate terms starting from 2nd term in the series 16, 17, 18, 19, ……
17. The Twenty-First Century will start on January 1 in the year
(1) 2001
(2) 2000
(3) 2101
(4) 2100
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
18. If A = 1, B = 3, C = 5 and so on, what do the numbers 3, 9, 7 stand for ?
(a) BID
(b) BAD
(c) BED
(d) CAR
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
Explanation : A → 1st position → 1
B → 2nd position → 2 + 1 = 3
C → 3rd position → 3 + 2 = 5
D → 4th position → 4 + 3 = 7
E → 5th position → 5 + 4 = 9
Hence, 3, 9, 7 stands for B, E, D.
19. Which choice provides the answer : If 2 + 3 = 10, 6 + 5 = 66, 7 + 2 = 63, 9 + 7 = 144 then, 8 + 4 = ?
(a) 48
(b) 144
(c) 96
(d) 55
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
Explanation : By the rule 2 + 3 = 10
6 + 5 = 66
7 + 2 = 63
We see that two numbers are added first and then multiplied by first number. For, example see 7 + 2 = 9 then 9 * 7 = 63
∴ Here 8 + 4 = 12
then 8 * 12 = 96.
20. Which choice provides the answer in the following : If 2 * 3 = 36, 5 * 4 = 400, 6 * 2 = 144, 3 * 3 = 81; then, 5 * 5 = ?
(1) 255
(2) 625
(3) 10
(4) 25
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : As 2 * 3 = 6 But here the rule framed as
2 * 3 → 62 → 36
5 * 4 → 202 → 400
3 * 3 → 92 → 81
∴ 5 * 5 → (25)2 → 625
21. If 9 3 9 = 12
8 2 8 = 12
6 3 6 = ?
(1) 8
(2) 9
(3) 5
(4) 12
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
Explanation : 9 ÷ 3 + 9 = 12
8 ÷ 2 + 8 = 12
6 ÷ 3 + 6 = 8
22. If 62 + 51 = 16, 91 + 85 = 24, 53 + 82 = 12, 72 + 83 = 25, then 73 + 83 = ?
(1) 4
(2) 20
(3) 15
(4) 37
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : 6 – 2 = 4; 5 – 1 = 4
Now 4 * 4 = 16
Similarly 4 * 5 = 20.
23. Answer in a short-cut method: 709 + 333 + 222 + 111 + 99 + 88 + 77 + 66 + 55 + 44 + 33 + 22 + 11 + 1 = ?
(1) 3,001
(2) 1,034
(3) 1,997
(4) 1,871
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : 709 + 111 + (3 + 2 + 1) + 11 (9 + 8 … 1) + 1 = 1871
24. Insert the missing number :
2 5 7
4 7 5
3 6 ?
(1) 12
(2) 4
(3) 9
(4) 6
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : (2 + 4) ÷ 2 = 3
(5 + 7) ÷ 2 = 6
∴ (7 + 5) ÷ 2 = 6
25. If 6 * 2 = 31, 8 * 4 = 42, 2 * 2 = 11, 6 * 6 = 33, then 8 * 6 = ?
(1) 33
(2) 43
(3) 14
(4) 42
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : Here the ru8le goes like this.
6 * 2 = 31 ⇒ 62/2 = 31
8 * 4 = 42 ⇒ 84/2 = 42
6 * 6 = 33 ⇒ 66/2 = 33
Thus 8 * 6 = 86/2 = 43
26. If 2 * 8 = 4, 3 * 15 = 5, 4 * 24 = 6, then 5 * 40 = ?
(1) 10
(2) 8
(3) 6
(4) 120
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : From the given expression we see that the multiplicand and the product are interchanged in its place in each case and then divide
∴ 5 * 40 must be written as 40 ÷ 5 = 8
27. If 2 = 5, 4 = 18, 6 = 39, 8 = 68, then 10 = ?
(1) 54
(2) 105
(3) 81
(4) 95
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : Here the rule is
2 = 5 ⇒ 2 = 22 + 1 = 5
4 = 18 ⇒ 4 = 42 + 2 = 18
6 = 39 ⇒ 6 = 62 + 3 = 39
If the same rule is followed then
10 = 102 + 5 = 105
28. No man is good, but some men are not bad. Therefore,
(1) All men are not bad
(2) No man is not bad
(3) All man are not good
Ans : (3)
29. Four of the following numbers are alike in some way. Which one is not ?
19, 29, 21, 23, 13
(1) 23
(2) 13
(3) 21
(4) 29
(5) 19
Ans : (3)
Explanation : As other numbers are prime
30. Insert the missing number :
1, 2, 5, 12 …
(1) 24
(2) 27
(3) 10
(4) 25
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : 1 * 2 + 0 = 2; 2 * 2 + 1 = 5; 5 * 2 + 2 = 12; Then 12 * 2 + 3 = 27
31. Insert the missing number :
3 6 7
5 8 9
4 7 ?
(1) 56
(2) 13
(3) 8
(4) 16
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
Explanation : Consider column wise,
Add first two elements and divide by 2 to get third element; so, in third column 7 + 9 = 16, on dividing by 2, we get the answer as 8.
32. Complete the series :
3, 2, 11, 6 ….. 10, 27
(1) 19
(2) 14
(3) 17
(4) 42
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
Explanation : See the difference between alternate numbers.
33. Complete the series :
2, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18 ….
(1) 24
(2) 23
(3) 32
(4) 28
(5) None of these
Ans : (2)
Explanation : See the alternate terms increasing by 7.
34. Which choice provides the answer in the following: If 7 + 2 = 59, 5 + 3 = 28, 9 + 1 = 810, 2 + 1 = 13, then 5 + 4 = ?
(1) 19
(2) 9
(3) 20
(4) 239
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
Explanation : Here the rule, 7 + 2 = 59 comes as
7 + 2 = (7 – 2) (7 + 2) = 59
Also 5 + 3 = (5 – 3) (5 + 3) = 28
Thus 5 + 4 = (5 – 4) (5 + 4) = 19
35. Answer in a short-cut method (999)2
(1) 19,848
(2) 1,08,431
(3) 93,670
(4) 9,98,001
(5) None of these
Ans : (4)
Explanation : (1000 – 1)2 = 10002 – 2 * 1000 * 1 + 12 = 998001
36. If A = 2, B = 3, C = 4 and so on, what does the following number stand for 14, 2, 11, 16, 19
(1) NBKNS
(2) KLEVE
(3) MAJOR
(4) TEACH
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
37. If ‘JOEJB’ means ‘INDIA’ then ‘BSNZ’ means
(1) BASF
(2) ARMY
(3) KARL
(4) KTOA
Ans : (2)
38. If 5 * 4 = 18, 3 * 5 = 24, 7 * 5 = 48, 9 * 8 = 85 then, 6 * 3 = ?
(1) 54
(2) 18
(3) 81
(4) 45
(5) None of these
Ans : (1)
Explanation : (5 + 4) * 2 = 18; (3 + 5) * 3 = 24
(7 + 5) * 4 = 48; (9 + 8) * 5 = 85
Thus (6 + 3) * 6 = 54
39. If ‘APPEAR’ is coded as ‘PAEPRA’ ‘PROVIDENCE’ can be coded as
(1) PORIVEDCNE
(2) RPOVPINECE
(3) RPVODINEEC
(4) EORIVEDCEP
(5) None of these
Ans : (3)
Explanation : Take two letters at a time and interchange.
40. No dog can sing, but some dogs can talk. If so, then
(1) Some dogs can sing
(2) All dogs can’t sing
(3) All dogs can’t talk
Ans : (2)
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