SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 20 September 2025, Shift 1 · General Intelligence and Reasoning · Question 3 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 '÷' means '+, '×' means '−', '+' means ' ÷ ' and '−' means '×', which of the following options is CORRECT?

(a)7 × 42 + 7 ÷ 3 − 4 = 42 − 6 ÷ 2 − 7
(b)50 × 49 + 7 ÷ 1 + 2 = 30 + 6 ÷ 9 − 5
(c)6 × 16 + 2 ÷ 4 − 3 = 14 + 7 ÷ 4 − 2
(d)9 × 16 + 8 ÷ 6 − 3 = 32 + 32 ÷ 4 − 8

Answer

Why

Correct — C.
Rule: ÷ becomes +, × becomes −, + becomes ÷, − becomes ×. Decode both sides, then use BODMAS.

Left: 6 − 16 ÷ 2 + 4 × 3
= 6 − 8 + 12 = 10

Right: 14 ÷ 7 + 4 × 2
= 2 + 8 = 10

Both sides equal 10 → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
7 × 42 + 7 ÷ 3 − 4 = 42 − 6 ÷ 2 − 7 — Decoded, the left side is 7 − 42 ÷ 7 + 3 × 4 = 13 and the right side 42 × 6 + 2 × 7 = 266. They do not match.
(b)
50 × 49 + 7 ÷ 1 + 2 = 30 + 6 ÷ 9 − 5 — Decoded, the left side is 50 − 49 ÷ 7 + 1 ÷ 2 = 43.5 and the right side 30 ÷ 6 + 9 × 5 = 50.
(d)
9 × 16 + 8 ÷ 6 − 3 = 32 + 32 ÷ 4 − 8 — Decoded, the left side is 9 − 16 ÷ 8 + 6 × 3 = 25 and the right side 32 ÷ 32 + 4 × 8 = 33. Close, but unequal.

Concept

A symbol-substitution item redefines the four signs. Rewrite the whole expression with the new meanings in one pass, then evaluate it with the ordinary order of operations: × and ÷ first, left to right, then + and −.

When the options are full equations, both sides need decoding. An option is correct only if the two decoded sides come out equal.

Decode each sign once, from the printed symbol. Replacing one sign at a time on paper risks decoding a sign twice: ÷ becomes +, and that new + then becomes ÷.

Key facts

Decoded option (c): 6 − 16 ÷ 2 + 4 × 3 = 10 and 14 ÷ 7 + 4 × 2 = 10.
After decoding, × and ÷ are worked before + and −, left to right.
Every sign on both sides of the equals sign must be decoded.

Study next

Symbol items where letters such as A, B, C, D stand for the four operationsInterchanging two given signs to make an equation correctSymbol items that give one expression and four candidate values

Common traps

Decoding a sign twice, so that ÷ turns into + and then back into ÷
Decoding only the left side and comparing it with the printed right side
Working the decoded expression strictly left to right instead of × and ÷ first

14 Sep 2025, 12:30, Reasoning Q.3 redefines all four signs too, but gives one expression and four results: 42 × 28 − 30 ÷ 48 + 45 decodes to 42 ÷ 28 × 30 + 48 − 45 = 48 (keyed d).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

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