Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Asia 2025-26

Basic Mathematics Aptitude Test

Test A (Answer sheet)

Please Note:
• You have 60 minutes to complete
• Calculators are not allowed
• Please show all your work and write your answers in the designated space
Thank you

Country:
Reference Number:
Name:
Problem 1. Compute the following
100
+5
2

Answer:

Problem 2. Suppose that

Y = K α L1−α
Which of the following is true?

Answer:

Problem 3. Suppose that

y = x2 − 2ax
Which of the following is equivalent to this equation:

Answer:

2
Problem 4. Solve for x:
1 3
=
x 1−x

Answer:

Problem 5. Note that e is Euler’s constant. Solve for x:

e6x−10
=1
ex

Answer:

Problem 6. Solve for x:

(1 + x)2
=3
1+x

Answer:

3
Problem 7. Solve for x:
2 ln (1 + x) − ln (1 + x) = ln (3)

Answer:

Problem 8. Find a first order Taylor expansion (nearby x = 0) of

f (x) = ln(1 + x)

Using this, approximate ln(1 + .02)

Answer:

Problem 9. Suppose there is a box containing 50 red balls and 50 green balls. A ball is
removed and then set aside (and not returned to the box). Which of the following is true?

Answer:

4
Problem 10. Suppose that we have the set of numbers:
X = [87, 63, 40, 76, 2, 28, 6, 30, 25, 49]
The average value of this set of numbers is x̄ = 40.6. Compute the following, where xi ∈ X,
10
X
xi .
i=1

Answer:
Problem 11. Suppose that we have the set of numbers:
X = [87, 63, 40, 76, 2, 28, 6, 30, 25, 49]
The average value of this set of numbers is x̄ = 40.6. Compute the following, where xi ∈ X,
10
X
(xi − x̄)
i=1

Answer:
Problem 12. Compute the derivative of the function
f (x) = xln (x) + 1

Answer:

5
Problem 13. Suppose that
x(t)
y(t) =
z(t)
where x(t) and z(t) are functions of time

x(t) = x0 egx t , z(t) = z0 egz t

where gx and gz are constants. Compute

d ln y(t)
gy ≡
dt

Answer:

Problem 14. Suppose that Z ∞

f (x)dx = 1
−∞
Z 0
f (x)dx = 0.2
−∞

Compute Z ∞
f (x)dx
0

Answer:

6
Problem 15. Note that
Z X
1 −1 2
Φ (X) ≡ √ e 2 (z ) dz.
−∞ 2π
Evaluate the following integral:
Z X
1 1 −1 x−µ 2
Y ≡ √ e 2 ( σ ) dx (1)
−∞ 2π σ

Answer:

Problem 16. Find the value of x in which

1 1 −1 x−µ 2
φ (x) = √ e2( σ ) , σ>0
2π σ
is maximized:

Answer:

7
Problem 17. Suppose that A = 1 2 3 . Compute AAT :
 

Answer:

Problem 18. Suppose that

    
y1 1 2 x1
= .
y2 3 5 x2

Write y1 as a function of and x1 and x2 :

Answer:

Problem 19. If possible, solve for the values of x1 , x2 , and x3 in which

    
1 5 10 x1 1
 2 10 20   x2  =  3 
3 0 1 x3 5

Answer:

8
Problem 20. Evaluate the limit (use L’Hôpital’s rule)
 
1
lim xln 1 +
x→∞ x

Answer: