SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 18 September 2025, Shift 1 · Quantitative Aptitude · Question 4 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.

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A bag contains ₹5, ₹2, and ₹1 coins in the ratio 2 : 3 : 4. If the total amount of money in the bag is ₹200, find the number of coins of each kind.

(a)16 coins of ₹5, 24 coins of ₹2, and 32 coins of ₹1
(b)20 coins of ₹5, 30 coins of ₹2, and 40 coins of ₹1
(c)25 coins of ₹5, 35 coins of ₹2, and 45 coins of ₹1
(d)18 coins of ₹5, 27 coins of ₹2, and 36 coins of ₹1

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Write the coin counts as 2k, 3k and 4k, then add up their value.

₹5 coins: 2k × 5 = 10k
₹2 coins: 3k × 2 = 6k
₹1 coins: 4k × 1 = 4k

Total value: 10k + 6k + 4k = 20k
Set 20k = 200, so k = 10
Counts: 2 × 10, 3 × 10, 4 × 10 = 20, 30, 40 → option (b)

Why the others are wrong

(a)
16 coins of ₹5, 24 coins of ₹2, and 32 coins of ₹1 — This is k = 8, so the value is 16 × 5 + 24 × 2 + 32 × 1 = 80 + 48 + 32 = ₹160, not ₹200.
(c)
25 coins of ₹5, 35 coins of ₹2, and 45 coins of ₹1 — 25 : 35 : 45 = 5 : 7 : 9, not 2 : 3 : 4. Its value, 125 + 70 + 45 = ₹240, misses ₹200 as well.
(d)
18 coins of ₹5, 27 coins of ₹2, and 36 coins of ₹1 — This is k = 9, which gives 90 + 54 + 36 = ₹180, ₹20 short. Each unit of k adds ₹20, so ₹200 needs k = 10.

Concept

A ratio of coin counts is not a ratio of values. Multiply each share by the coin's face value first.

Counts 2 : 3 : 4 of ₹5, ₹2 and ₹1 coins give values 10 : 6 : 4, which is 20 parts.

Split ₹200 in 10 : 6 : 4: ₹100, ₹60 and ₹40.
Divide by face value: 100 ÷ 5 = 20, 60 ÷ 2 = 30, 40 ÷ 1 = 40 coins.

Three options are exact multiples of 2 : 3 : 4 (k = 8, 10 and 9), so the ratio alone cannot pick the answer. The ₹200 total decides it.

Key facts

Value of a coin group = number of coins × face value.
Counts 2 : 3 : 4 of ₹5, ₹2 and ₹1 coins give values 10 : 6 : 4.
Each unit of k here adds ₹20 to the bag (10 + 6 + 4).

Study next

Coin problems where the ratio is given for values instead of countsFinding one coin type's count from the total amount in the bagRatio problems where coins are added and a new ratio is given

Common traps

Dividing ₹200 in the ratio 2 : 3 : 4 directly, which splits the money, not the coins.
Checking only that an option keeps the 2 : 3 : 4 ratio, which options (a) and (d) also do.

Also asked 10 Sep 2024, 09:00, Quant Q.13, with one-rupee, 5-rupee and 10-rupee coins in the ratio 3 : 5 : 7 and ₹980 in the bag. There each k is worth 3 + 25 + 70 = ₹98, so k = 10 and the bag holds 70 coins of ₹10.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Ratio & Proportion — all 96 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.