SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 16 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 21 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 principal amount of ₹1,000 yields a simple interest of ₹180 over a period of 2 years. What is the annual rate of simple interest?

(a)8 %
(b)9 %
(c)7 %
(d)6 %

Answer

Why

Correct — B.
Rule: SI = P × R × T ⁄ 100, so R = SI × 100 ⁄ (P × T).

SI × 100 = 180 × 100 = 18,000
P × T = 1,000 × 2 = 2,000
R = 18,000 ⁄ 2,000 = 9% a year → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
8 % — 8% gives 1,000 × 8 × 2 ⁄ 100 = ₹160 over two years, ₹20 short of the ₹180 stated.
(c)
7 % — 7% gives 1,000 × 7 × 2 ⁄ 100 = ₹140 over two years, ₹40 short of ₹180.
(d)
6 % — 6% gives 1,000 × 6 × 2 ⁄ 100 = ₹120 over two years, only two-thirds of ₹180.

Concept

Simple interest is charged on the original principal only, so it adds the same amount every year.

Here ₹180 over 2 years is ₹90 a year. ₹90 on ₹1,000 is 90⁄1,000 = 9⁄100, a rate of 9% a year, which is the same answer without the formula.

Key facts

SI = P × R × T ⁄ 100, with R in % a year and T in years.
Under simple interest the interest is the same every year, here ₹90.
Amount = Principal + SI, so this sum grows to ₹1,180 in 2 years.

Study next

Compound interest, and CI − SI over 2 yearsFinding the time or the principal when the other three are givenA sum that becomes n times itself under simple interest

Common traps

Forgetting to divide by the 2 years, which gives 18%
Using the amount, ₹1,180, in place of the interest, ₹180

14 Sep 2025, 16:00, Reasoning Q.22 asks for the rate from a growth factor instead: a sum that becomes 2.5 times itself in 10 years earns 1.5 times itself as interest, keyed 15% a year.

Related PYQs

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