SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 16 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 24 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.

If ‘×’ = ‘−’, ‘−’ = ‘+’, ‘+’ = ‘÷’, ‘÷’ = ‘×’, which equation is correct?

(a)14 + 2 − 6 × 1 = 10
(b)12 − 4 + 2 × 2 = 12
(c)10 × 2 + 4 − 1 = 23
(d)20 − 2 × 3 + 4 = 18

Answer

Why

Correct — B.
Rule: read × as −, − as +, + as ÷ and ÷ as ×, then apply BODMAS.

Option (b): 12 − 4 + 2 × 2
Decoded: 12 + 4 ÷ 2 − 2
Division first: 4 ÷ 2 = 2
12 + 2 − 2 = 12, matching the right side → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
14 + 2 − 6 × 1 = 10 — Decoded, 14 + 2 − 6 × 1 becomes 14 ÷ 2 + 6 − 1 = 7 + 6 − 1 = 12, not the 10 printed.
(c)
10 × 2 + 4 − 1 = 23 — Decoded, 10 × 2 + 4 − 1 becomes 10 − 2 ÷ 4 + 1 = 10 − 0.5 + 1 = 10.5, not the 23 printed.
(d)
20 − 2 × 3 + 4 = 18 — Decoded, 20 − 2 × 3 + 4 becomes 20 + 2 − 3 ÷ 4 = 22 − 0.75 = 21.25, not the 18 printed.

Concept

In a which equation is correct item, decode every option's left side, work it out, and compare it with the printed right side.

Read the legend as "the printed sign stands for": ‘×’ = ‘−’ means a printed × is worked as a minus.

Decode the whole left side before any arithmetic, then follow BODMAS. Under this reading exactly one option balances.

Key facts

Legend: × → −, − → +, + → ÷, ÷ → ×.
12 − 4 + 2 × 2 decodes to 12 + 4 ÷ 2 − 2 = 12.
Division and multiplication come before addition and subtraction.

Study next

Which two signs must be interchanged to balance an equationSymbol substitution with one expression to evaluateBODMAS with fractions and decimals in the working

Common traps

Reading the legend backwards, working a printed − as ×, under which no option balances
Working left to right without BODMAS: 12 + 4 ÷ 2 taken as 16 ÷ 2 = 8

15 Sep 2025, 12:30, Reasoning Q.24 sets the same task with a / sign in the legend and keys 16 / 2 + 4 − 1 × 3 = 6. 19 Sep 2025, 16:00, Reasoning Q.22 keys 20 − 4 + 8 / 2 × 1 = 20.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Numerical Operations — all 148 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.