General Aptitude GATE Practice Set
Mixed GATE-style General Aptitude questions on numbers, percentages, ratios, work, speed, interest, series, clocks, spatial counting, grammar, vocabulary and reasoning.
General Aptitude questions are short, so speed comes from knowing the shortcut for each type and checking the options quickly. These questions mix every lesson of the track; every numerical answer is recomputed by a program when the site is built.
Quantitative
[Percentages] A price is raised by 30% and then reduced by 30%. What is the overall percentage change? (Negative for a decrease.)
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Answer: -9Successive changes: 30 − 30 + (30 × −30)/100 = −9%. (1.3 × 0.7 = 0.91.)
[Ratios] A : B = 3 : 4 and B : C = 6 : 7. What is A : C?
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Answer: BMake B equal: A : B = 9 : 12 and B : C = 12 : 14, so A : C = 9 : 14.
[Averages] The average age of 30 students is 14 years. When the teacher's age is included, the average becomes 15 years. How old is the teacher?
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Answer: 45The students' ages total 30 × 14 = 420; with the teacher, 31 × 15 = 465. The teacher is 465 − 420 = 45.
[Time and work] A can finish a job in 6 days and B in 12 days. How many days do they take working together?
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Answer: 41/6 + 1/12 = 3/12 = 1/4 of the job per day: 4 days.
[Speed] A 300 m train crosses a 200 m platform in 25 seconds. What is its speed in km/h?
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Answer: 72It covers 300 + 200 = 500 m in 25 s, which is 20 m/s = 20 × 18/5 = 72 km/h.
[Interest] What is the compound interest, in rupees, on ₹4000 at 5% per year for 2 years?
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Answer: 410A = 4000 × 1.05² = 4000 × 1.1025 = 4410, so CI = 410.
[Numbers] What is the last digit of 3²⁰²⁷?
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Answer: 7Last digits of powers of 3 cycle as 3, 9, 7, 1. 2027 = 4 × 506 + 3, so 3²⁰²⁷ ends like 3³ = 27: 7.
Analytical
[Series] What comes next: 1, 2, 6, 24, 120, …?
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Answer: 720Each term is the previous one multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, …: 120 × 6 = 720 (the factorials).
[Clocks] What is the smaller angle, in degrees, between the hands of a clock at 4:20?
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Answer: 10The angle is |30 × 4 − 5.5 × 20| = |120 − 110| = 10°.
[Cubes] A painted cube is cut into 216 equal small cubes. How many small cubes have no painted face?
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Answer: 64216 = 6³. The unpainted cubes form the inner 4 × 4 × 4 cube: 64.
Verbal
[Grammar] Choose the correct option: "The number of applicants ______ increased this year."
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Answer: A"The number of" is singular (it is one number), so it takes "has". ("A number of applicants have applied" would be plural.)
[Vocabulary] Choose the word closest in meaning to corroborate.
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Answer: BTo corroborate a statement is to confirm or support it with evidence. "Collaborate" sounds similar but means to work together.
[Analogy] Author : novel :: composer : ______
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Answer: BAn author creates a novel; a composer creates a symphony. An orchestra performs it, a piano is an instrument, and a concert is an event.