SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 16 September 2025, Shift 1 · Quantitative Aptitude · Question 5 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.

Simplify:(2 1⁄2 + 3.6) ÷ 0.75 + (1.25 × 4⁄5)

(a)137⁄15
(b)160⁄15
(c)127⁄15
(d)148⁄15

Answer

Why

Correct — A. Brackets first, then the division, then the addition.

Convert: 2 1⁄2 = 2.5
First bracket: 2.5 + 3.6 = 6.1
Divide: 6.1 ÷ 0.75 = 61⁄10 × 4⁄3 = 244⁄30 = 122⁄15

Second bracket: 1.25 × 4⁄5 = 5⁄4 × 4⁄5 = 1
Add: 122⁄15 + 15⁄15 = 137⁄15 → option (a)

Why the others are wrong

(b)
160⁄15 — 160⁄15 ≈ 10.67, but the two parts are 122⁄15 ≈ 8.13 and exactly 1, which add to about 9.13.
(c)
127⁄15 — 127⁄15 would need the second bracket to be 5⁄15 = 1⁄3. But 1.25 × 4⁄5 = 5⁄4 × 4⁄5 = 1 exactly.
(d)
148⁄15 — 148⁄15 would need 6.1 ÷ 0.75 to be 133⁄15. It is 61⁄10 × 4⁄3 = 122⁄15, so the total is 137⁄15.

Concept

A mixed number, decimals and a fraction in one expression. When you divide by a decimal, switch to fractions: 0.75 = 3⁄4, so ÷ 0.75 becomes × 4⁄3.

The order is brackets, then ÷ and × from left to right, then + and −. The ÷ 0.75 applies to the first bracket alone, and the second bracket is added after the division. Spotting 1.25 = 5⁄4 makes the second bracket exactly 1.

Key facts

0.75 = 3⁄4, so dividing by 0.75 is multiplying by 4⁄3.
1.25 = 5⁄4, and 5⁄4 × 4⁄5 = 1.
In a ÷ b + c, the division is done before the addition.

Study next

Decimal and fraction equivalents such as 0.125 = 1⁄8 and 0.625 = 5⁄8BODMAS when a division sits between two bracketsConverting a recurring decimal like 8.1333… to a fraction

Common traps

Dividing the whole sum by 0.75: (6.1 + 1) ÷ 0.75 = 142⁄15, which is not an option.
Stopping at the decimal 9.1333… without converting it to fifteenths to match the options.

Mixed numbers, decimals and fraction answers in one simplification. The same opening bracket, (2 1⁄2 + 3.6), appears at 12 Sep 2025, 09:00, Quant Q.2, where it is followed by − 1.9 and equals 4.2.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra & Elementary surds — all 182 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.