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DSTA Entrance Examination practice questions

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Question 1Verbal Reasoning

In a DSTA selection passage, the sentence 'The engineer reviewed the blueprint, she noticed a flaw in the wiring layout.' is best described as containing which error?

  1. An incorrect use of a semicolon where a colon is required
  2. A dangling modifier with no logical subject
  3. A comma splice joining two independent clauses Correct answer.
  4. A faulty parallel structure in a compound predicate

Explanation

Two independent clauses ('The engineer reviewed the blueprint' and 'she noticed a flaw') are joined only by a comma, which is a comma splice. The fix is a semicolon, a period, or a coordinating conjunction. The sentence has no modifier or parallelism problem.

Question 2Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'The review panel found the proposal technically sound but financially ______, since its cost estimates were never independently verified.'

  1. redundant
  2. meticulous
  3. speculative Correct answer.
  4. transparent

Explanation

The clause after the blank explains that cost estimates were never verified, so the missing quality is one of unproven guesswork. 'Speculative' means based on conjecture rather than firm evidence, which fits the contrast with 'technically sound'. The other options describe positive or unrelated qualities.

Question 3Verbal Reasoning

Which pair of words has the same logical relationship as 'blueprint : building'?

  1. recipe : dish Correct answer.
  2. budget : currency
  3. engineer : project
  4. hammer : nail

Explanation

A blueprint is a plan that guides the creation of a building, just as a recipe is a plan that guides the creation of a dish. Both pairs relate a design document to the thing it produces. The other pairs describe tool-and-object, person-and-work, or category relationships.

Question 4Verbal Reasoning

In the word 'unmistakably', how many morphemes are present?

  1. Two
  2. Five
  3. Three
  4. Four Correct answer.

Explanation

The word divides into un- (negating prefix), mistake (root), -able (adjectival suffix), and -ly (adverbial suffix), giving four morphemes. Each unit carries meaning or grammatical function. Counting letters or syllables would give a different and incorrect figure.

Question 5Verbal Reasoning

A defence procurement memo states: 'All vendors submitting bids after the deadline will be disqualified. Vendor K submitted a bid after the deadline.' Which conclusion follows necessarily?

  1. Vendor K submitted the strongest bid.
  2. Vendor K may be exempted from the rule.
  3. Only some late vendors are disqualified.
  4. Vendor K will be disqualified. Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a valid syllogism: if every late bidder is disqualified and K is a late bidder, then K is disqualified. The conclusion follows deductively with no additional assumptions. Nothing about bid quality or exemptions is stated.

Question 6Verbal Reasoning

Identify the sentence in which the pronoun reference is clear and unambiguous.

  1. When the system failed, the operator logged the fault before the operator restarted it. Correct answer.
  2. When the system failed, it logged the fault before restarting it.
  3. When the system failed, the operator logged the fault before restarting it.
  4. The operator logged the fault before restarting it when the system failed.

Explanation

Repeating the noun 'the operator' removes any doubt about who restarted the system. In the other versions, 'it' could refer to the system or the fault, creating ambiguity. Clear pronoun reference requires that only one antecedent be plausible.

Question 7Verbal Reasoning

Which word is the antonym of 'concise' as used in the instruction 'Keep the technical summary concise'?

  1. Structured
  2. Verbose Correct answer.
  3. Neutral
  4. Accurate

Explanation

'Concise' means brief and to the point, so its antonym is 'verbose', meaning wordy and overly long. Antonyms must oppose the specific sense in use. Accuracy, structure, and neutrality are unrelated dimensions of a summary.

Question 8Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The auditors, having reviewed the accounts, submitted a preliminary report,' the phrase 'having reviewed the accounts' functions as which grammatical element?

  1. A gerund phrase acting as the subject
  2. An absolute clause with its own subject
  3. A participial phrase modifying 'the auditors' Correct answer.
  4. A restrictive relative clause

Explanation

'Having reviewed the accounts' is a participial phrase that describes the auditors, the subject of the main clause. It has no separate subject of its own, so it is not absolute. It is set off by commas because it is non-restrictive information about the subject.

Question 9Verbal Reasoning

A report notes: 'None of the prototype sensors passed the endurance test, although each had been calibrated individually.' Which statement about the sentence's grammar is accurate?

  1. 'Each' should be followed by 'have' to agree with 'sensors'.
  2. 'Although' should be replaced by 'because' to show the logical link.
  3. 'None' takes a singular verb here, and 'each' correctly takes 'had'. Correct answer.
  4. 'None' must always take a plural verb, so 'passed' is wrong.

Explanation

'None' can take either a singular or plural verb depending on sense, and here 'passed' with a plural sense is acceptable, while 'each' is singular and correctly pairs with 'had'. The sentence is grammatically sound. The suggested changes would break agreement or reverse the intended contrast.

Question 10Verbal Reasoning

Complete the analogy: 'firewall : network :: quarantine : ______'

  1. infection Correct answer.
  2. person
  3. hospital
  4. policy

Explanation

A firewall blocks harmful traffic to protect a network, just as quarantine restricts the spread of an infection. The relationship is protective barrier to the threat it contains. The other options name the actor, location, or rule rather than the threat.

Question 11Verbal Reasoning

A briefing states: 'If the radar is calibrated, then the trial proceeds. The trial did not proceed.' Which conclusion is logically valid?

  1. The radar was not calibrated. Correct answer.
  2. The radar was calibrated but failed.
  3. The trial was cancelled for unrelated reasons.
  4. Calibration guarantees the trial proceeds.

Explanation

This is modus tollens: from 'if P then Q' and 'not Q', we validly infer 'not P'. So the radar was not calibrated. The other options add information or restate the conditional without drawing the valid inference.

Question 12Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly in a technical context?

  1. The test failed; however, the engineers identified the cause within an hour. Correct answer.
  2. The test failed; which the engineers identified within an hour.
  3. The test failed; and the engineers identified the cause within an hour.
  4. The test failed; the cause being identified within an hour.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses, especially when a conjunctive adverb like 'however' follows it. Here both sides are complete clauses and the adverb is properly punctuated. The other versions join a clause to a fragment or misuse a coordinating conjunction after the semicolon.

Question 13Verbal Reasoning

The word 'robust' appears in the sentence 'The team designed a robust communication link for the field exercise.' In this context, 'robust' most nearly means:

  1. Resistant to failure under adverse conditions Correct answer.
  2. Capable of high data throughput
  3. Physically heavy and bulky
  4. Easy to install quickly

Explanation

In engineering usage, 'robust' describes a system that continues to function despite stress, interference, or faults. The field-exercise context reinforces resilience as the intended sense. Weight, speed, and ease of installation are separate attributes.

Question 14Verbal Reasoning

Arrange the following into a coherent paragraph about a systems review. (1) The team then ranked the risks by likelihood and impact. (2) A systems review began with a list of potential failure points. (3) Finally, mitigation actions were assigned to named owners. (4) Each failure point was described in terms of its possible consequences. Which order is best?

  1. 1, 2, 4, 3
  2. 4, 2, 1, 3
  3. 2, 1, 4, 3
  4. 2, 4, 1, 3 Correct answer.

Explanation

The paragraph should open with the review and its list of failure points (2), then describe each point (4), then rank the risks (1), and end with the concluding step signalled by 'Finally' (3). This order follows the logical workflow from identification to description to prioritisation to action.

Question 15Verbal Reasoning

Identify the option that corrects the dangling modifier: 'After calibrating the instrument, the readings were recorded by the technician.'

  1. After the instrument was calibrated, the readings recorded by the technician.
  2. After calibrating the instrument, the readings had been recorded.
  3. Calibrating the instrument, the readings were then recorded.
  4. After calibrating the instrument, the technician recorded the readings. Correct answer.

Explanation

A participial modifier must attach to the noun performing the action. The technician does the calibrating, so the technician must be the subject of the main clause. The other options either keep the wrong subject or produce a fragment.

Question 16Verbal Reasoning

A memo argues: 'Every successful project we reviewed used weekly status reports. Therefore, adopting weekly status reports will make our project successful.' Which flaw does this argument exhibit?

  1. It equivocates on the meaning of 'successful'.
  2. It attacks the character of project managers instead of the argument.
  3. It treats a correlated feature as a sufficient cause of success. Correct answer.
  4. It relies on a sample that is too small to be meaningful.

Explanation

The argument moves from a shared feature of successful projects to the claim that the feature produces success, which confuses correlation with causation and assumes sufficiency. Weekly reports may accompany success without causing it. The other options misdescribe the specific error.

Question 17Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence correctly uses 'comprise'?

  1. The review board is comprised of five senior engineers.
  2. Five senior engineers are comprising the review board.
  3. The review board comprises five senior engineers. Correct answer.
  4. The review board comprises of five senior engineers.

Explanation

'Comprise' means 'consist of' and takes a direct object without 'of', so 'comprises five senior engineers' is correct. The whole comprises the parts, never the reverse. Adding 'of' or using the passive 'is comprised of' is widely criticised as nonstandard.

Question 18Verbal Reasoning

In the passage: 'The sensor array was rugged, but its power draw was high. Nevertheless, the team selected it for the field trial.' What is the function of 'Nevertheless'?

  1. It restates the first clause in different words.
  2. It signals that the selection occurred despite the drawback. Correct answer.
  3. It adds a second drawback to the list.
  4. It introduces a cause for the high power draw.

Explanation

'Nevertheless' is a concessive connector showing that the second statement holds in spite of the first. The drawback (high power draw) did not prevent selection. It does not explain, add, or restate.

Question 19Verbal Reasoning

Which option best expresses the idea in a single sentence without loss of meaning? 'The prototype was tested in the lab. It performed well. It has not yet been tested in the field.'

  1. Field testing has not occurred, and lab testing was done.
  2. The prototype performed well in lab tests, and it has not yet been tested.
  3. Although the prototype performed well in lab tests, it has not yet been field-tested. Correct answer.
  4. The prototype was tested in the lab and performed well.

Explanation

The best condensation preserves all three ideas and their contrast: good lab results versus absent field testing. 'Although' captures the tension between the two facts. The other options drop information or flatten the contrast.

Question 20Verbal Reasoning

A passage states: 'Only personnel with current clearance may access the server room. Technician R does not have current clearance.' Which conclusion is valid?

  1. Technician R may access the server room with an escort.
  2. Technician R has never had clearance.
  3. All personnel without clearance are technicians.
  4. Technician R may not access the server room. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Only P may A' means that lacking P is sufficient to bar A, so R is barred from access. The statement says nothing about past clearance, escorts, or the distribution of technicians. Only the access prohibition follows.

Question 21Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence contains a faulty comparison?

  1. The new encryption protocol is faster than the older version. Correct answer.
  2. The new encryption protocol is faster than any protocol we have used.
  3. The new encryption protocol is faster than the old protocol was.
  4. The new encryption protocol is faster than the previous one.

Explanation

'Faster than the older version' compares a protocol to a version, which are not like categories; the comparison should be protocol to protocol or version to version. The other sentences compare like with like. Faulty comparison arises when the items compared are not parallel.

Question 22Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The committee insisted that the contractor submit revised drawings before work resumed,' the verb 'submit' is in which mood?

  1. Conditional
  2. Imperative
  3. Indicative
  4. Subjunctive Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs of demand or insistence such as 'insisted that' trigger the subjunctive, which uses the base form 'submit' regardless of subject. The indicative would be 'submits'. The imperative addresses a listener directly, and the conditional would use 'would'.

Question 23Verbal Reasoning

A reviewer writes: 'The proposal is not without merit, but its assumptions are not unproblematic.' Which paraphrase best captures the reviewer's overall stance?

  1. The proposal has no merit and its assumptions are untested.
  2. The proposal is excellent and its assumptions are sound.
  3. The proposal is worthless and its assumptions are flawless.
  4. The proposal has some value, though its assumptions raise concerns. Correct answer.

Explanation

The double negative 'not without merit' means it has some merit, and 'not unproblematic' means the assumptions are somewhat problematic. Litotes softens both judgments, so the overall stance is cautiously mixed. The other options overstate in either direction.

Question 24Verbal Reasoning

Which revision removes the ambiguity in: 'The engineer told the manager that the report was incomplete, which was a problem.'

  1. The engineer told the manager the report was incomplete, which was a problem.
  2. The engineer told the manager that the report was incomplete, which posed a problem.
  3. The engineer, having told the manager, found the report incomplete, which was a problem.
  4. The engineer told the manager that the report was incomplete, a fact that posed a problem. Correct answer.

Explanation

The vague 'which' could refer to the report, the incompleteness, or the telling. Replacing it with 'a fact that posed a problem' attaches the consequence to the whole preceding statement. The other versions retain an unclear 'which'.

Question 25Verbal Reasoning

A policy reads: 'No application shall be approved unless it is accompanied by a safety assessment. Applications accompanied by a safety assessment are reviewed within ten days.' An application without a safety assessment is submitted. What can be concluded?

  1. It will be approved if the review takes longer than ten days.
  2. It must be rejected outright without any further processing.
  3. It cannot be approved, and the ten-day review guarantee does not apply to it. Correct answer.
  4. It will be approved after a ten-day review.

Explanation

The first rule makes a safety assessment a necessary condition for approval, so approval is barred. The ten-day guarantee is conditioned on having the assessment, so it does not apply. Nothing in the policy mandates outright rejection, only that approval cannot occur.

Question 26Verbal Reasoning

A test instruction reads: 'Verify the power supply before you connect the load.' Which option states the same instruction with the logical relationship kept intact?

  1. Verify the power supply only after connecting the load.
  2. Connect the load only after verifying the power supply. Correct answer.
  3. Verify the power supply because the load has been connected.
  4. Connecting the load is optional if the power supply is verified.

Explanation

The original sets verification as a precondition that must be met before the connection step. Only the reworded version using 'only after' preserves that ordering of events. The other options either reverse the sequence or weaken the mandatory condition.

Question 27Verbal Reasoning

A procedure note says: 'The operator shall not energise the circuit until the earth connection is confirmed.' Which option is the correct restatement of this rule?

  1. The earth connection is confirmed only if the operator energises the circuit.
  2. The operator may energise the circuit while the earth connection is being confirmed.
  3. Confirming the earth connection requires the circuit to be energised first.
  4. Energising the circuit is permitted only when the earth connection is confirmed. Correct answer.

Explanation

A 'not until' construction makes confirmation of the earth connection a necessary condition for energising. The correct option states that permission to energise depends on that confirmation. The others invert the dependency or allow the steps to overlap.

Question 28Verbal Reasoning

Which option best completes the analogy? 'calibrate : instrument :: proofread : ______'

  1. document Correct answer.
  2. printing
  3. deadline
  4. author

Explanation

The first pair links an action to the object it is performed on: you calibrate an instrument. The matching relation is proofreading a document, the thing being checked. The other options name a stage, a time limit, or a person, none of which fits the object-of-action pattern.

Question 29Verbal Reasoning

A word in a technical instruction is used figuratively: 'The reviewer flagged the section as thin on evidence.' Which option gives the closest meaning of 'thin' in this context?

  1. reduced in printing density
  2. spoken in a quiet voice
  3. physically narrow in width
  4. weakly supported or insufficient Correct answer.

Explanation

In reviewing contexts, 'thin' describes content that lacks adequate support or substance. The figurative sense here concerns insufficient evidence, not physical measurement. The literal senses listed do not fit how the word functions with 'on evidence'.

Question 30Verbal Reasoning

A briefing states: 'All field units that passed inspection may proceed to the exercise area. Unit Kappa passed inspection.' Which conclusion follows?

  1. Unit Kappa passed inspection only if it proceeds.
  2. Unit Kappa must proceed to the exercise area.
  3. The exercise area is closed to other units.
  4. Unit Kappa may proceed to the exercise area. Correct answer.

Explanation

The premise grants permission to units that passed inspection, and Unit Kappa satisfies that condition. The valid conclusion is therefore that Kappa is permitted to proceed. Permission does not create an obligation, and nothing is said about other units.

Question 31Verbal Reasoning

Identify the option that corrects the misplaced modifier: 'Covered in dust after the field trial, the technician wiped the lens carefully.'

  1. The technician wiped the lens carefully, covered in dust after the field trial.
  2. Wiping the lens carefully, the dust after the field trial covered the technician.
  3. Covered in dust after the field trial, the lens was wiped carefully by the technician. Correct answer.
  4. The lens wiped carefully by the technician covered in dust after the field trial.

Explanation

The opening phrase describes the lens, so the lens must be the subject of the main clause. Placing 'the lens' directly after the modifier removes the misattribution. The other versions either keep the dust attached to the wrong noun or produce an incoherent clause.

Question 32Verbal Reasoning

In the sentence 'The inspector required that the vault be sealed before the audit began,' which description of the verb 'be' is accurate?

  1. It is a plural agreement error with the singular 'vault'.
  2. It is an infinitive functioning as the sentence subject.
  3. It is a past-tense form marking completed action.
  4. It is a subjunctive form required after verbs of demand. Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs expressing demands or requirements, such as 'required that', take the subjunctive in the subordinate clause, whose base form is 'be'. This is grammatically standard, not an agreement mistake. The form marks a required state rather than tense.

Question 33Verbal Reasoning

A memo states: 'If the test rig is certified, the trial will run on Monday. The trial did not run on Monday.' Which conclusion is valid?

  1. The test rig was not certified. Correct answer.
  2. The trial will run on a later Monday.
  3. Certification is unrelated to the trial.
  4. The test rig was certified.

Explanation

This is a valid modus tollens inference: if certification implies the trial runs, and the trial did not run, then certification did not occur. Denying the consequent yields the negation of the antecedent. The other options either affirm the antecedent or ignore the conditional.

Question 34Verbal Reasoning

A review notes: 'The vendor's claim is not unsubstantiated.' Which option best captures the meaning?

  1. The vendor's claim cannot be evaluated.
  2. The vendor's claim has some supporting evidence. Correct answer.
  3. The vendor's claim is unsubstantiated.
  4. The vendor's claim is entirely false.

Explanation

The double negative 'not unsubstantiated' cancels to mean the claim is substantiated, that is, it has support. It does not assert that the evidence is complete or strong, only that the claim is not without backing. The remaining options either deny support or deny evaluability.

Question 35Verbal Reasoning

Which option uses 'comprise' in a way that standard usage accepts?

  1. The test suite is comprised by twelve separate checks.
  2. The test suite comprises of twelve separate checks.
  3. The test suite comprises twelve separate checks. Correct answer.
  4. Twelve separate checks are comprised of the test suite.

Explanation

'Comprise' means 'consist of' and takes a direct object without 'of'. The whole comprises the parts, so 'The test suite comprises twelve separate checks' is correct. Adding 'of' or using the passive with 'by' departs from standard usage.

Question 36Verbal Reasoning

A passage reads: 'The antenna was light and easy to mount. Its gain, however, fell short of the requirement. The team therefore chose the heavier model.' Which option best describes the role of 'therefore'?

  1. It restates the antenna's advantage in different words.
  2. It introduces a contrast with the preceding sentence.
  3. It signals a conclusion drawn from the stated drawback. Correct answer.
  4. It marks a concession that the lighter antenna was superior.

Explanation

'Therefore' marks an inference: because the lighter antenna's gain was insufficient, the team selected the heavier one. It links a stated shortcoming to the resulting decision. It does not signal contrast, restatement, or concession.

Question 37Verbal Reasoning

Which option corrects the faulty comparison? 'The new encryption module is faster and more reliable than the old system.'

  1. The new encryption module is faster and more reliable than any system.
  2. The new encryption module is faster and more reliable than the old system's speed.
  3. The new encryption module is faster and more reliable than the old system.
  4. The new encryption module is faster and more reliable than the old system was. Correct answer.

Explanation

The comparison must set like against like: a module against a module, or a system against a system. Adding 'was' completes the elliptical clause so the module is compared with the old system on the same basis. The other versions compare unlike things or leave the comparison incomplete.

Question 38Verbal Reasoning

Which option removes the ambiguity in: 'The engineer told the manager that the report was late, which delayed the review.'

  1. The engineer told the manager, which was late, that the report delayed the review.
  2. The engineer told the manager that the report was late, and the lateness delayed the review. Correct answer.
  3. The engineer told the manager that the report was late, which the manager disliked.
  4. The engineer told the manager that the report, which was late, delayed the review.

Explanation

The vague 'which' could refer to the telling, the report, or the review, so the sentence needs an explicit subject for the delay. Naming 'the lateness' as the cause resolves the reference. The other options either keep an unclear 'which' or shift the meaning.

Question 39Verbal Reasoning

A regulation states: 'No application shall be approved unless it is accompanied by a safety assessment. Application A was approved.' Which conclusion follows?

  1. Application A was accompanied by a safety assessment. Correct answer.
  2. Application A was rejected for lacking a safety assessment.
  3. Application A will be reassessed later.
  4. Safety assessments are optional for approved applications.

Explanation

'No X unless Y' means Y is a necessary condition for X, so approval requires the accompanying safety assessment. Since Application A was approved, it must have met that condition. The other options contradict the rule or add facts not given.

Question 40Verbal Reasoning

A log entry reads: 'The backup generator started immediately; the primary supply, however, had failed minutes earlier.' Which option best describes the relationship between the two clauses?

  1. The second clause contrasts with the first in tone but supplies its context. Correct answer.
  2. The second clause explains the cause of the first.
  3. The second clause repeats the first in different words.
  4. The second clause lists a separate, unrelated event.

Explanation

The semicolon joins two closely related statements, and 'however' signals a shift in emphasis rather than a strict cause. The generator's prompt start is set against the earlier failure that made it necessary. The clauses are related, so they are neither mere repetition nor unrelated.

Question 41Numerical Reasoning

A supply depot holds 4,800 ration packs. If 3/8 of the packs are issued on Monday and 25% of the original total are issued on Tuesday, how many packs remain?

  1. 2,400
  2. 1,950
  3. 2,100
  4. 1,800 Correct answer.

Explanation

Monday issues 3/8 × 4,800 = 1,800 packs. Tuesday issues 25% × 4,800 = 1,200 packs, so total issued is 3,000 and remaining is 4,800 − 3,000 = 1,800.

Question 42Numerical Reasoning

A patrol vehicle travels 84 km in 1 hour 10 minutes. What is its average speed in km/h?

  1. 72 Correct answer.
  2. 78
  3. 70
  4. 75

Explanation

Convert 1 hour 10 minutes to 70 minutes, which is 7/6 hours. Speed equals distance divided by time: 84 ÷ (7/6) = 84 × 6/7 = 72 km/h.

Question 43Numerical Reasoning

A sequence of equipment serial numbers follows the pattern 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, ... What is the next term?

  1. 95
  2. 127 Correct answer.
  3. 111
  4. 129

Explanation

Each term equals double the previous term plus one: 3×2+1=7, 7×2+1=15, and so on. Applying the rule to 63 gives 63×2+1=127.

Question 44Numerical Reasoning

A rectangular storage yard measures 24 m by 15 m. A concrete path 2 m wide runs along the inside of all four sides. What area of the yard is left unpaved?

  1. 280 m² Correct answer.
  2. 260 m²
  3. 320 m²
  4. 300 m²

Explanation

The unpaved rectangle is reduced by 2 m on each side, giving dimensions 24−4=20 m and 15−4=11 m. Its area is 20×11=280 m².

Question 45Numerical Reasoning

If 5 technicians can service 20 vehicles in 6 hours, how many hours will 8 technicians take to service 32 vehicles at the same rate?

  1. 4
  2. 7
  3. 5
  4. 6 Correct answer.

Explanation

Each technician services 20 ÷ (5×6) = 2/3 vehicle per hour. Eight technicians service 8 × 2/3 = 16/3 vehicles per hour, so 32 vehicles take 32 ÷ (16/3) = 6 hours.

Question 46Numerical Reasoning

A budget of 2.4 million is divided between two units in the ratio 5:7. How much does the larger share receive?

  1. 1.6 million
  2. 1.2 million
  3. 1.0 million
  4. 1.4 million Correct answer.

Explanation

The ratio has 5+7=12 parts, so each part is 2.4 ÷ 12 = 0.2 million. The larger share is 7 parts: 7 × 0.2 = 1.4 million.

Question 47Numerical Reasoning

What is the average of the numbers 14, 22, 9, 31 and 19?

  1. 19 Correct answer.
  2. 18
  3. 21
  4. 20

Explanation

The sum is 14+22+9+31+19 = 95. Dividing by the five values gives 95 ÷ 5 = 19.

Question 48Numerical Reasoning

A code uses the rule: each letter is replaced by the letter three places later in the alphabet, wrapping from Z to A. What does the code word 'PLQ' decode to?

  1. MJP
  2. NIO
  3. MIO
  4. MIN Correct answer.

Explanation

Decoding reverses the rule, so each letter moves three places earlier. P→M, L→I and Q→N, giving MIN.

Question 49Numerical Reasoning

A convoy consumes fuel at 12 litres per 100 km. If fuel costs 1.45 per litre, what is the fuel cost for a 450 km journey?

  1. 72.50
  2. 75.60
  3. 81.20
  4. 78.30 Correct answer.

Explanation

Fuel used is 450 ÷ 100 × 12 = 54 litres. Multiplying by 1.45 per litre gives 54 × 1.45 = 78.30.

Question 50Numerical Reasoning

A stock item is reduced by 20% and then the reduced price is increased by 20%. Compared with the original price, the final price is:

  1. 4% lower Correct answer.
  2. the same
  3. 4% higher
  4. 2% lower

Explanation

Taking the original as 100, a 20% cut gives 80, then a 20% rise on 80 gives 96. The final price is 4% below the original because the increase applies to a smaller base.