2015 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2015 · CSAT

Question 80: Basic Numeracy

Candidates in a competitive examination consisted of 60% men and 40% women. 70% men and 75% women cleared the qualifying test and entered the final test where 80% men and 70% women were successful. Which of the following statements is correct ?

aSuccess rate is higher for women.
bOverall success rate is below 50%.
cMore men cleared the examination than women.
dBoth (a) and (b) above are correct.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

Take 100 candidates: 60 men and 40 women. Qualifying: 70% of 60 = 42 men and 75% of 40 = 30 women. Final: 80% of 42 = 33.6 men and 70% of 30 = 21 women. So more men (33.6) than women (21) cleared the exam. Overall success is 54.6 of 100, above 50%. Men's success rate is 56% against women's 52.5%, so it is not higher for women.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: men's success is 56% against women's 52.5%.
  • (b) Wrong: overall success is 54.6%, above 50%.
  • (c) Right: 33.6 men against 21 women cleared the final.
  • (d) Wrong: neither (a) nor (b) holds.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.