Answers Week 6

Quants 13 - Progressions

Bobby was appointed to Mindworkzz in the pay scale of ` 7000–500–12,500. Find how many years he will take to reach the maximum of the scale.

7000 – 500 – 12500 means that the starting scale is 7000 and there is an increment of 500 every

year. Since, the total increment required to reach the top of his scale is 5500, the number of years

required would be 5500/500 = 11. 

He will take 11 years to reach the maximum of the scale.

Logical 11 - Sequence and Series

What is the next term in the following series?

1, 4, 3, 9, 5, 16, 7, 25, 9, 36, 11, ?

(a) 64 

(b) 49

(c) 48 

(d) 55

Two series are intermingled with each other as 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 22, 32, 42, 52, 62. Hence,

the next term in the series would be 7² = 49, so the correct answer is option (b). 

Logical 12 - Blood Relations

How many sons does Emily have?

a. Four 

b. Three

c. Two 

d. One

( C & F are the two sons)

Who is the Ciao’s sibling?

a. Hello 

b. Ciao

c. Vanakkam 

d. Cannot be determined

Who is M’s father?

a. O 

b. R

c. N 

d. Data inadequate

Logical 12 - Blood Relations

In a family of six persons—Abhay, Banta, Cathy, Deepak, Emily and Fatima, there are three males and three females. There are two married couples and two persons are unmarried. Each one of them likes different cold drinks. Emily who likes Coke, is the mother-in-law of Abhay, who is the wife of Cathy. Deepak is the father of Fatima and he does not like Thumps Up or Pepsi; Banta likes Limca and is the sister of Fatima who likes Sprite. Cathy does not like Pepsi. Fanta is another cold drink.

Solution:

While solving logical reasoning questions, always try to place the direct information first and keep any indirect clues aside for later use.

In this question you will find that:

Emily likes Coke ...........→ Direct clue

Deepak is the father of Fatima → Direct clue

Deepak does not like Thumsup or Pepsi → Indirect clue,…. and so on.

Keep in mind the following points while solving all questions on logical reasoning:

1. First use the direct clues.

2. In the case of a family tree the diagram should essentially be a multilevel diagram to ensure clarity of being able to see multiple generations on the same diagram.

3. Males and females should be marked separately with some symbols. One suggestion is the females can be marked inside a circle/bracket or with an underlined letter as A or alternately males can be marked with a + sign and females with a – sign. 

4. Relationships should be marked using horizontal links or vertical links.

The following diagrams will emerge from the clues

At this stage, you know that A, B and E are the three females and C, D and F are the three males; you also know that A and C are one of the two couples. 

Hence, the other couple must be D and E. (They must be married to each other since they have children.)

This leads to a combined diagram which looks as below:

To this information, add the likes and dislikes of individuals as follows:

Further, D does not like Thums Up or Pepsi, hence he must like Fanta; Cathy does not like Pepsi (hence Thumps Up) and Abhay likes Thums Up.

Practice Questions:

1. Who among the following likes Thumps Up?

a. Cathy

b. Deepak

c. Abhay

d. Data inadequate

2. How is Fatima related to Emily?

a. Brother 

b. Son

c. Father 

d. Daughter

3. One of the married couple’s is:

a. Deepak-Banta

b. Deepak-Emily

c. anta-Fatima

d. Emily-Fatima

4. Which of the following cold drinks is liked by Abhay?

a. Thumps Up

b. Fanta

c. Pepsi

d. Data inadequate

Time to Think:

5. How many sons does Emily have?

a. Four 

b. Three

c. Two 

d. One

Passage 2:

Hello, Ciao and Vanakkam are related to each other.

I. Among the three, one is Hello’s legal spouse, another is Ciao’s sibling and the third is Vanakkam’s sister-in-law.

II. Hello’s legal spouse and Ciao’s sibling are of the same sex.

Solution:

From the statement that Ciao’s sibling and Hello’s legal spouse are of the same sex, we can conclude that Hello cannot be the sibling of Ciao (because Hello’s sex would be different from his/her legal spouse’s sibling). Hence, Ciao’s sibling must be Vanakkam.

This gives us four basic possibilities for the husband wife pair:

(1) Hello (male) – Vanakkam (female; Hello’s wife as well as Ciao’s sibling); Ciao (Vanakkam’s sibling; sex not known). In this case, the situation does not allow for Vanakkam’s sister-in-law. Hence, we can reject this as a possible solution to the situation.

(2) Hello (female) – Vanakkam (male; Hello’s husband as well as Ciao’s sibling); Ciao (Vanakkam’s sibling – sex not known). In this case again, the situation does not allow for Vanakkam’s sister-in-law. Hence, we can reject this as a possible solution to the situation.

(3) Hello (male) – Ciao (female; Hello’s wife as well as Vanakkam’s sibling); Vanakkam (Ciao’s sibling – female as she has to be the same sex as Hello’s spouse). In this case, again the situation does not allow for Vanakkam’s sister-in-law. Hence, we can reject this as a possible solution to the situation.

(4) Hello (female) – Ciao (male; Hello’s husband as well as Vanakkam’s sibling); Vanakkam (Ciao’s sibling – male as she has to be the same sex as Hello’s spouse). In this case, the last condition of Vanakkam’s sister-in-law is met because Hello is the sister-in-law of Vanakkam.

Thus, we conclude that this is the only possible solution given the clues.

Practice Questions:

1. Who is the married man?

a. Hello 

b. Ciao

c. Vanakkam 

d. Cannot be determined

2. Who is the married woman?

a. Hello 

b. Ciao

c. Vanakkam 

d. Cannot be determined

3. The number of males amongst the group is

I. 1 

II. 2

a. I 

b. II

c. I or II 

d. Neither I nor II

Time to Think:

4. Who is the Ciao’s sibling?

a. Hello 

b. Ciao

c. Vanakkam 

d. Cannot be determined

Passage 3:

In a joint family of seven persons L, M, N, O, P, Q and R two are married couples. ‘R’ is a housewife and her husband is a lawyer. ‘N’ is the wife of ‘M’, ‘L’ is an engineer and is the granddaughter of ‘R’, and ‘O’ is the father-in-law of ‘N’, a doctor, and father of ‘P’, a professor. ‘Q’ is L’s brother and M’s son.

Solution:

Practice Questions:

1. How is P related to M?

a. Son 

b. Brother

c. Daughter 

d. Data inadequate

2. How is Q related to O?

a. Grand father 

b. Uncle

c. Grand son 

d. Data inadequate

Time to Think:

3. Who is M’s father?

a. O 

b. R

c. N 

d. Data inadequate

Verbal 5 - Words and Phrases confused - A

Key Points to Remember:

Some words are often confused with each other because they are

• similar in spelling and different in usage
• similar in spelling and different in pronounciation
• similar in pronunciation but different in spelling or usage
• similar in spelling but different in meaning
• slightly different in spelling but have same usage
• words whose usage is commonly mistaken by the non native speaker

Capitonyms are words that share the same spelling but have different meanings when capitalized. Eg., polish (to make shiny) and Polish (from Poland).

Homographs or Homophones are words that share the same spelling regardless of how they are pronounced. Eg., ball (toy) and ball (a form of dance).

Polysemes are the words with the same spelling and distinct but related meaning.

Homograph - same writing

Homophone - same sound

Hetronym - different name

Hetrophone - different sound

Words in A:

Abdicate / Abrogate

We abandon things when abdicating.

We abrogate things when we abolish them.

Accede / Exceed 

Accede means to agree or to allow.

Exceed means to go beyond or to surpass as in.

Drivers who exceed the speed limit are asking for hefty fines.

Accept (receive) / Except (leave out)

To accept is to agree something or to receive something willingly.

To except is to exclude or omit.

Access (approach) / Excess (too much)

Adapt (change) / Adept (skill) / Adopt (choose)

Adopt means to adjust.

Adept means skilled

Adopt means to take as your own.

Adverse / Averse

 Adverse means inauspicious or hostile.

Averse means disinclined or repelled.

Advice (suggestion) / Advise (to recommend)

Advice is the noun and Advise is the verb.

You advise someone.

What you give that person is advice.

Affluence / Effluence

Affluence is wealth.

Effluence is waste or useless product.

Aisle / Isle

An aisle is a narrow passageway, especially in a church or store.

An isle is an island.

All right / Alright

All right is the correct form.

Alright is grammatically incorrect.

The misspelling alright is non standard usage. Two two words are separate.

Allot (assign, distribute) / A lot (a large amount) 

Allude (suggest) / Elude (escape)

Allusion (suggestion) / Illusion (deception, fantasy)

Allusion is a reference to something literary or historical with which the reader is presumably familiar.

An illusion is a false, misleading, idea.

Aloud / Allowed 

Aloud means out loud or speaking so that someone else can hear you.

Allowed means permitted.

Already (previously) / All ready (completely prepared)

Already means by this time.

All ready means prepared.

Altar (church table) / Alter (change)

Altogether (entirely) / All together (complete group)

Always (at all times) / All ways (all methods)

Among / Between
Between expresses the joining or separation of two people or things.
Among refers to a group of three or more.

Amoral / Immoral
Amoral is a rather technical word meaning unrelated to morality.
When you mean to denounce someone's behavior, call it immoral

Amount / Number 
Write number when things can be counted.
When things are lumped together, write amount.

Annual / Annul
Annual means yearly
Annul means to make void or invalid.

Anxious / Eager
Anxiety is unpleasant.
Eagerness is joyous.
They are not synonyms.

Anyone / Any one
Anyone means anybody, any person at all.
Any one means any one person and is followed by of.

Appraise / Apprise
Appraise is to assess or estimate.
Apprise is to inform or notify.

Ascent (climb) / Assent (agree)
Ascent is an upward movement.
Assent means agreement.

Ascribe / Subscribe
If you agree with a theory of belief, you ascribe to it, just as you.
Subscribe is to a magazine.

Assistance / Assistants
Assistance means help or aid.
Assistants is the plural of assistant which means one who gives help.

Assume / Presume
We assume things in the absence of evidence.
We presume things when it is reasonable to do so and there is no evidence to the contrary.

Assure / Ensure / Insure
Assure means to guarantee.
Ensure means to to make sure.
Insure means to protect against loss or damage.

Attain / Obtain
Attain means reach.
Obtain means get.

Auger / Augur
Auger is a tool.
Augur means to predict or a sort of an omen.

Affect (influence) / Effect (result)
Affect is a verb meaning either to influence or to pretend.
Effect as a verb means to accomplish or to produce as a result and as a noun, effect means result.
Affect is a verb; Effect is more usually a noun.
When used as a verb, it means to achieve or fulfil or realize.

Aid / Aide

We aid people when we help them.
An aide is a special assistant.

Logical 11 - Sequences and Series

Key Points to Remember:

Sequences and series consists of questions where we are supposed to understand the logic behind a given sequence or series of number/alphabets. Based on this understanding we are supposed to determine either:

(a) A continuation to the series

(b) The immediate next term of the series

or

(c) A missing term/terms within the series.

We should improve our ability to spot a particular relationship between terms within the series. The common logical premises used for questions are given here.

SERIES BASED ON NUMBERS

1. Squares

2. Squares + something or squares–something e.g. next term in the series 24, 35, 48, 63, 80... will be 99 since the series is (52 + 1), (62 + 1), etc.

3. Cubes, cubes + something, cubes–something

4. Geometric series

5. Arithmetic series

6. Harmonic series

7. Series of constantly changing additions or multiplications, e.g.,

(i) 2, 6, 24, 120,.......... (The terms are got by ¥ 3, ¥ 4, ¥ 5, and so on.)

(ii) 11, 16, 22, 29, 37,.......... (The series follows a logic of +5, +6, +7, +8, and so on.)

8. Binary numbers systems or number systems with other bases like Base 3, Base 4, etc.

9. Intermingled series–

e.g., 2, 5, 6, 10, 18, 15, 54

In this series alternate terms starting with the first form a GP with common ratio 3, while the 2nd, 4th, 6th terms form an AP 5, 10, 15.........

SERIES BASED ON ALPHABETS

In such series, the most crucial aspect is to know the position of each alphabet in the alphabet series

A to Z both from start to end.

Thus, the following reference numbers for each alphabet become important:

Notice that M and N are the two middle points of this series.

Practice Questions:

Question 1:

Which of the following letters would come next in the series of letters?

Z, W, R, K, __

(a) A 

(b) C

(c) B 

(d) D

In the given series from the end of the alphabet series, Z is the 1st alphabet, W is the 4th alphabet, R is the 9th alphabet and K is the 16th alphabet. Thus the next letter in the series will be the 25th alphabet from the end or the second from the start. Hence, the next alphabet must be B. Thus (c) is the correct option.

Question 2:

0.005, 0.05, ?, 5

(a) 5.50 

(b) 0.05

(c) 0.5 

(d) none of these

A Geometric Progression with common ratio 10. Hence, the missing term will be 0.5 i.e., option (c).

Question 3:

What would come next in the following series?

A10, D15, G20, J25 __

(a) N18 

(b) O20

(c) M16 

(d) none of these

In the series of letters represented above there is a gap of 2 letters between every two consecutive terms and hence, the next letter will be M (after skipping K and L). Thus, the correct answer should be M30. Thus Option (d) is correct.

Question 4:

(1, 1), (2, 16), (3, 81), ?

(a) (4, 16) 

(b) (4, 64)

(c) (4, 256) 

(d) none of these

The relationship followed in each bracket is the fourth power of the first digit in the bracket. Hence, option (c) is correct.

Question 5:

ABCDEFG, GABCDEF, FGABCDE, ?

(a) EFGABCD 

(b) GABCDEF

(c) EFGABCDE 

(d) FGABCDE

The next term is formed by removing the last alphabet in the previous term and attaching it to the first alphabet of the next term. Hence, the next term in the series would be EFGABCD. So, the answer is option (a).

Time to Think:

What is the next term in the following series?

1, 4, 3, 9, 5, 16, 7, 25, 9, 36, 11, ?

(a) 64 

(b) 49

(c) 48 

(d) 55

Verbal 4 - English Words of Foreign Origin

Indian Words

Yoga - Hindu system of physical and mental exercise
Tantra - religious writing
Tonga - horse-drawn carriage
Wallah - somebody in charge of certain thing
Dhoti - Indian male unstitched garment wrapped on waist.
Avatar - incarnation
Gunny - jute bag, sack
Nawab - Indian nobleman in Mughal Empire
Sahib - respectful form of address for men
Pundit - Expert, authority, priest
Guru - teacher, wise leader
Sandal - type of wood
Chutney - sweet and sour sauce
Pachisi - board game
Nirvana - heaven, freedom
Myna - bird
Karma - fate
Dharma - code of conduct of Hindus
Ginger - spice
Stupa - dome-shaped structure where ashes are kept


German Words

Pumpernickel - a dark, dense, sour bread
Kindergarden - a school or class for young children
Hoodium - a petty criminal
Delicatessen - prepared food sold in a shop serving

Loafers - casual leather slip-on shoe / imported or unusual foods; such a shop

Glitch - minor hitch. lazy person

Glisten - to shine

Dutch Words

Landscape - scenery

Holster - leather case for firearm

Sleigh - sledge

Caboose - rail guard's van

Colesaw - salad made with mayonnaise dressing

Boss - senior or person in charge of

Cookie - biscuit

Freight - commercial transport especially railways or ship

Snoop - meddle, spy on

Skipper - Captain of ship or Team   (eg., Our MS Dhoni!!!)

Bumpkin - rustic

Bed spread - bed cover, decorative covering on bed

Japanese Words

Tsunami - large destructive ocean wave

Hibachi - a portable barbeque

Tycoon - powerful and wealthy businessman

Bonsai - art of growing miniature trees

Bonzai - a patriotic battle cry or shout

Origami - Japanese art of paper folding

Samurai - former Japanese form of unarmed combat
Karate - traditional Japanese form of unarmed combat

Shogun - any hereditary military commands in feudal Japan

Kimono - traditional Japanese garment

African Words

Banana - tropical plant and its fruit

Daishiki - clothes

Chimpanzee - an ape

Samba - a Brazilian dance of African origin

Yam - a root vegetable

Okra - lady's finger plant, a vegetable

Tse-tse - two-winged bitting fly


Spanish Words

Bolero - Spanish Dance
Fiesta - religious festival or celebration
Primero - card game played in 16th and 17th century
Tango - Latin or American or Spanish dance
Ombre - card game popular in 18th century
Domino - board game
Quadrile - card game for four players; a French dance
Spade - digging tool
Monte - betting game played with cards
Castanets - wooden or plastic device that makes a clicking sound when pressed by palm of hand
Embargo - restricting commerce
Pronto - fast
Galleon - large sailing vessel
Grenade - small bomb
Guerrilla - independent soldiers
Flotilla - group of Ships
Garrote - strangulation
Junta - ruling group
Intransigent - inflexible
Machete - large, heavy knife
Parade - large public procession
Anchory - small savoury fish
Sherry - fortified wine
Tortilla - thin Mexican pan cake or chips
Marinade - seasoned, flavoured liquid used to soak meat
Sarsaparilla - drink made from root of plant
Bravado - bluster
Barbeque - an open grill or fire place
Sassafras - aromatic tree whose bark has medicinal value
Adobe - sun dried brick
Canyon - deep valley with steep sides
Arroyo - gulch
Toreador - bull fighter
Senorita - Miss
Senora - Mrs
Senor - Mr
Metador - Bull fighter
Renegade - deserter
Don - lord or gentleman
Dona - title of respect for a married woman
Desperado - bold, reckless criminal
Albino - person deficient of pigmentation
Patio - courtyard
Pueblo - adobe house
Hacienda - landed estate
Sierra - chain of hills or mountains
Vega - grassy plain
Plaza - open space or square; complex of shops
Esplande - level space
El Dorado - fictious country rich in gold
Rodeo - showing of cowboy skills
Lariat - long, noosed rope for catching horses
Bronco - untamed horse
Lasso - long noosed rope, lariat
Gaucho - cowboy of South American Pampas

Quants 13 - Progressions

Practice Questions:

Question 1:

Two persons—Ramu Dhobi and Kalu Mochi have joined Donkey-work Associates. Ramu Dhobi and Kalu Mochi started with an initial salary of ` 500 and ` 640 respectively with annual increments of ` 25 and ` 20 each respectively. In which year will Ramu Dhobi start earning more salary than Kalu Mochi?

The current difference between the salaries of the two is ` 140. The annual rate of reduction of this dfference is ` 5 per year. At this rate, it will take Ramu Dhobi 28 years to equalise his salary with Kalu Dhobi’s salary.

Thus, in the 29th year he will earn more.

This problem should be solved while reading and the thought process should be 140/5 = 28. Hence, answer is 29th year.

Question 2:

Find the sum of all numbers divisible by 6 in between 100 to 400.

Here 1st term = a = 102 (which is the 1st term greater than 100 that is divisible by 6.)

The last term less than 400, which is divisible by 6 is 396.

The number of terms in the AP; 102, 108, 114…396 is given by [(396 – 102)/6] +1= 50 numbers.

Common difference = d = 6

So, S = 25 (204 + 294) = 12450

Question 3:

How many terms are there in the GP 5, 20, 80, 320,… 20480?

The series would be 5, 20, 80, 320, 1280, 5120, 20480. Thus, there are a total of 7 terms in the series. 

Question 4:

The seventh term of a GP is 8 times the fourth term. What will be the first term when its fifth term is 48?

In the case of a G.P. the 7th term is derived by multiplying the fourth term thrice by the common ratio.

Since, the seventh term is derived by multiplying the fourth term by 8, the relationship r^3 = 8 must be true.

Hence, r = 2

If the fifth term is 48, the series in reverse from the fifth to the first term will look like:

48, 24, 12, 6, 3. 

The answer is 3.

Question 5:

How many natural numbers between 300 to 500 are multiples of 7?

The series will be 301, 308, …….. 497

Hence, Answer = 196/7 + 1 = 29

Time to Think:

Bobby was appointed to Mindworkzz in the pay scale of ` 7000–500–12,500. Find how many years he will take to reach the maximum of the scale.