SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 15 September 2025, Shift 1 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 17 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

A person buys 4 apples at ₹18 each and 2 melons at ₹35 each. What is the total cost?

(a)₹142
(b)₹128
(c)₹144
(d)₹150

Answer

Why

Correct — A.
Rule: price each item as quantity × unit price, then add.

Apples: 4 × ₹18 = ₹72
Melons: 2 × ₹35 = ₹70
Total: ₹72 + ₹70 = ₹142 → option (a).

Why the others are wrong

(b)
₹128 — ₹128 is ₹14 short. It would need melons at ₹28 each (72 + 56), but the stem prices them at ₹35.
(c)
₹144 — ₹144 is ₹2 over. It would need melons at ₹36 each (72 + 72); at ₹35 each the two melons cost ₹70.
(d)
₹150 — ₹150 is ₹8 over. It is what apples at ₹20 each would give (80 + 70); at ₹18 each the four apples cost ₹72.

Concept

A mixed purchase is two multiplications and an addition: price each group on its own, then add the groups.

Keep each quantity with its own price. Crossing them, 4 × ₹35 + 2 × ₹18, gives ₹176, a different total that is not even offered.

A last-digit check is quick: 72 + 70 ends in 2, and ₹142 is the option that does.

Key facts

Cost of a group = quantity × unit price.
Here 4 × ₹18 = ₹72 and 2 × ₹35 = ₹70, a total of ₹142.
A last-digit check eliminates options fast: 2 + 0 ends in 2.

Study next

Total-cost and unitary-method problemsLast-digit checks to eliminate optionsProfit-sharing in the ratio of capital × time

Common traps

Pairing a quantity with the other item's price: 4 × 35 + 2 × 18 = 176.
Copying the apple total into the melon line: 72 + 72 = 144, which is option (c).

Money arithmetic also sits among the Reasoning questions at 19 Sep 2025, 09:00, Reasoning Q.19: A invests ₹20,000 for 2 years and B ₹30,000 for 3 years, and B's profit share is keyed ₹9,000.

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