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PROBLEMS ON NUMBERS
1. Three-fourth of a number exceeds its one-third by 60. The number is:
(a) 108 (b) 144 (c) 184 (d) 224
Let the number be x. Then (3/4) x – (1/3) x = 60.
LCM of 4 and 3 is 12. Then, it becomes 9x – 4x = 60 x 12
5x = 720. This implies x = (720/5) = 144
2. A number whose fifth part increased by 4 is equal to its fourth part
reduced by 10, is:
(a) 240 (b) 260 (c) 280 (d) 300
Let the number be x. Then (x/5) + 4 = (x/4) – 10. This implies (x/4) – (x/5)
= 4 + 10.
LCM of 4 and 5 is 20. Then it becomes 5x – 4x = 14 x 20. Therefore x =
280
3. Three numbers are in the ratio of 3 : 4 : 6 and their product is 1944. The
largest of these numbers is:
(a) 6 (b) 12 (c) 18
(d) 24
Let the numbers be 3x, 4x and 6x. Then (3x)(4x)(6x) = 1944.
(x3) = (1944 / 72) or (x3) = 27 or x = 3. Therefore, largest number = 6x = 6
x 3 = 18
4. The sum of three numbers is 264. If the first number be twice the second
and third number be one-third of the first, then the second number is:
(a) 48 (b) 54 (c) 72
(d) 84
Let the numbers be 2x, x and (2x/3). Then 2x + x + (2x / 3) = 264
or 6x + 3x + 2x = 264 x 3 or 11x = 264 x 3 or x = 72. Therefore, second
number = x = 72
Short-Cut Method: The ratio becomes 2 : 1 : (2/3) implies 6: 3 : 2
11 parts = 264 implies 1 part = 24
Second number = 3 x 24 = 72
5. The difference between a two-digit number and the number obtained by
interchanging the digits is 27. What is the difference between the digits
of the number?
(a) 3 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 9
Let the ten’s digit be x and unit’s digit be y.
Then the unknown two digit number becomes 10x + y. Now (10x + y) –
(10y + x) = 27
(or) 9x – 9y = 27 or 9(x – y) = 27 or (x – y) = 3
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6. The sum of a two digit number and the number obtained by
interchanging the digits is 99. What is the sum of the two digits of the
number?
(a) 9 (b) 18 (c) 27
(d) 81
(99/11) = 9
7. Two numbers are such that the ratio between them is 4 : 7. If each is
increased by 4, the ratio becomes 3 : 5. The largest number is:
(a) 36 (b) 48 (c) 56
(d) 64
Let the numbers be 4x and 7x. Then (4x + 4) / (7x + 4) = (3/5) or 5(4x +
4) = 3(7x + 4)
or 21x – 20x = 20 – 12 or x = 8. Therefore largest number = 7x = 7 x 8 =
56
Short-Cut Method: In the given ratio 4 : 7, the larger number is 7. Among
the given 4 options only option c (56) is divisible by 7. Hence, largest
number is 56
8. Of the three numbers, the sum of the first two is 45; the sum of the
second and the third is 55 and the sum of the third and thrice the first is
90. The third number is:
(a) 20 (b) 25 (c) 30
(d) 35
Let the numbers be x, y and z. Then x + y = 45, y + z = 55 and z + 3x =
90.
By adding all, we get 4x + 2y + 2z = 90 + 55 + 45 or 2(2x + y + z) = 190
or 2x + y + z = (190/2) = 95 or 2x + 55 = 95 or 2x = 40 or x = 20.
By introducing x value in z + 3x = 9o we get z + 3(20) = 90 or z = 30
9. The value 2430 has been divided into three parts such that half of the
first part, one-third of the second part and one-fourth of the third part
are equal. The largest part is:
(a) 740 (b) 860 (c) 920 (d) 1080
Let (A/2) = (B/3) = (C/4) = x. This implies A = 2x, B = 3x and C = 4x.
By adding all we get 9x = 2430 (given) or x = (2430/9) = 270.
Hence largest part = 4x = 4 x 270 = 1080
10. The sum of two numbers is twice their difference. If one of the
numbers is 10, the other one is:
(a) 30 or (10/3) (b) 30 or –(10/3) (c) 30
(d) (10/3)
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Let the numbers be x and y. Then x + y = 2(x – y) or x + y = 2x – 2y or x =
3y.
Here we consider two cases: If y = 10, x becomes 30 (or) if x = 10, y
becomes (10/3).
Therefore the answer is 30 or (10/3)
11. If a number is subtracted from the square of its one-half, the result
is 48. The square root of the number is:
(a) 8 (b) 6 (c) 5 (d) 4
(x/2) – x = 48 implies (x /4) – x = 48 implies x – 4x – 192 = 0.
2 2 2
(x – 16)(x + 12) = 0 or x = 16 implies √16 = 4.
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