"If the given symbols mean: '+' means 'divided by' '−' means 'multiplied by' '×' means 'minus' '÷' means 'plus' Then, find the value of the following expressions: 7 × 3 ÷ 4 + 20 − 5=?
- (a)7
- (b)9
- (c)5
- (d)11
Answer
Why
Correct — C.
Rule: replace every sign by its meaning, then apply BODMAS.
7 × 3 ÷ 4 + 20 − 5 becomes 7 − 3 + 4 ÷ 20 × 5
Divide: 4 ÷ 20 = 0.2
Multiply: 0.2 × 5 = 1
Left to right: 7 − 3 = 4, then 4 + 1 = 5 → option (c).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)7 — 7 needs the last term, 4 ÷ 20 × 5, to equal 3. Worked left to right it equals 1: 4 ÷ 20 = 0.2, then 0.2 × 5 = 1.
- (b)9 — 9 is 7 + 3 − 1: it reads '×' as plus and '÷' as minus, the two meanings swapped. The table makes '×' minus and '÷' plus.
- (d)11 — 11 is 7 + 3 + 1: it reads '×' as plus. The table makes '×' mean minus, so the expression opens 7 − 3.
Concept
Symbol-substitution items give each printed sign a new meaning. Rewrite the whole expression first, then evaluate it by the ordinary order of operations.
After the swap, ÷ and × come before + and −, and ÷ and × of equal rank are worked left to right: 4 ÷ 20 × 5 = 0.2 × 5 = 1.
Working 20 × 5 first instead gives 4 ÷ 100 = 0.04, which is why the direction matters.
The stray opening quote mark and the plural 'expressions' are printed that way on the response sheet. There is one expression to evaluate.
Key facts
- Here + means ÷, − means ×, × means − and ÷ means +.
- ÷ and × share one rank and are worked left to right.
- 4 ÷ 20 × 5 = 1, but 4 ÷ (20 × 5) = 0.04.
Study next
Common traps
- Substituting some signs and evaluating the rest as printed.
- Doing 20 × 5 before 4 ÷ 20, which gives 7 − 3 + 0.04 = 4.04.
14 Sep 2025, 12:30, Reasoning Q.24 runs the same routine: 20 + 5 × 2 − 10 becomes 20 × 5 − 2 ÷ 10, keyed 99.8.
19 Sep 2025, 09:00, Reasoning Q.23 also meets a fraction mid-way: 20 + 5 × 4 − 2 becomes 20 − 5 ÷ 4 × 2 = 20 − 2.5, keyed 17.5.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.