UPSC Prelims 2022 · CSAT
Question 35: Basic Numeracy
How many seconds in total are there in x weeks, x days, x hours, x minutes and x seconds?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).
Convert each unit to seconds: 1 week = 7 × 24 × 3600 = 604800; 1 day = 86400; 1 hour = 3600; 1 minute = 60; 1 second = 1. Sum = 604800 + 86400 + 3600 + 60 + 1 = 694861. For x of each, every term is multiplied by x, so the total is 694861x seconds. Watch the units: a week has 7 days, a day 24 hours, an hour 60 minutes and a minute 60 seconds.
How you could have got this
No shortcut here: in a “how many” question, ruling out options doesn’t help. Every statement has to be judged.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) 11580x is a minute-based figure, not seconds.
- (b) 11581x counts minutes, not seconds.
- (c) 694860x leaves out the final x seconds.
- (d) Correct: 694861x.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2022, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.