Next CSE-PPT: 14 March 2027 · Professional & Subprofessional
Civil Service Exam numerical ability reviewer: word problems on discounts, salary deductions, percentage change, ratio, averages, work, speed, simple interest, ages, coins and proportion.
Word problems are the third part of the official Numerical Ability scope of the Civil Service Exam. This set uses everyday situations in pesos and familiar settings: discounts and commissions, salary deductions and budgets, percentage increase and profit, sharing in a ratio, averages, work and time, speed and distance, simple interest, ages, coins and proportion.
Translate the words into a short equation before calculating, and check the answer against the story at the end. Every answer here was calculated and checked by script, and each explanation shows the working.
Correct answer: A. ₱1,000
The discount is 20% of ₱1,250 = ₱250, so the sale price is ₱1,250 − ₱250 = ₱1,000. Shortcut: paying 80% of the price, 0.8 × 1,250 = 1,000.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱2,160
9% of ₱24,000 = 0.09 × 24,000 = ₱2,160. A quick check: 10% is ₱2,400 and 1% is ₱240, so 9% is ₱2,400 − ₱240 = ₱2,160. The employee's take-home pay before other deductions is ₱21,840.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. 25%
Increase = ₱20. Percentage increase = increase ÷ original price × 100 = 20 ÷ 80 × 100 = 25%. Dividing by the new price (100) instead gives the wrong answer 20%.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱20,000
There are 4 + 5 = 9 parts, each worth ₱36,000 ÷ 9 = ₱4,000. Ben gets 5 parts = ₱20,000 and Ana gets 4 parts = ₱16,000. Check: ₱20,000 + ₱16,000 = ₱36,000.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. 85
Average = total ÷ number of tests = (85 + 90 + 78 + 92 + 80) ÷ 5 = 425 ÷ 5 = 85. Adding the scores in pairs, such as 90 + 80 and 92 + 78, makes the total easier to find by hand.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. 4 days
Cris does 1/6 of the job a day and Dan 1/12. Together they do 1/6 + 1/12 = 2/12 + 1/12 = 3/12 = 1/4 of the job a day, so they finish in 4 days.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. 4 hours
Time = distance ÷ speed = 240 ÷ 60 = 4 hours. Remember the three forms of the same formula: distance = speed × time, speed = distance ÷ time and time = distance ÷ speed.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. ₱9,000
Simple interest = principal × rate × time = ₱50,000 × 0.06 × 3 = ₱9,000. The interest is ₱3,000 each year, for three years.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. 12
Let the son's age be x, so the father is 3x. In 12 years: 3x + 12 = 2(x + 12) = 2x + 24, so x = 12. Check: father 36 and son 12 now; in 12 years they will be 48 and 24.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. 30
Let the integers be x, x + 1 and x + 2: 3x + 3 = 87, so x = 28. The integers are 28, 29 and 30, and the largest is 30. Shortcut: the middle number is the sum divided by 3, here 87 ÷ 3 = 29.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. 18
If all 30 coins were ₱10 coins they would be worth ₱300, which is ₱90 too much. Each ₱5 coin reduces the total by ₱5, so there are 90 ÷ 5 = 18 five-peso coins and 12 ten-peso coins. Check: 90 + 120 = 210.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. ₱660
One kilo costs ₱275 ÷ 5 = ₱55, so 12 kilos cost 12 × ₱55 = ₱660. Finding the cost of one unit first is the simplest way to solve direct proportion problems.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. 4:35 p.m.
Add the hours first: 1:45 + 2 hours = 3:45 p.m. Then add 50 minutes: 3:45 + 15 minutes = 4:00, and the remaining 35 minutes give 4:35 p.m.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. 2,500 m
One kilometre is 1,000 metres, so 2.5 km = 2.5 × 1,000 = 2,500 metres. Moving from a larger unit to a smaller one means multiplying; going the other way means dividing.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. 25%
Profit = ₱1,000 − ₱800 = ₱200. Percentage profit on cost = 200 ÷ 800 × 100 = 25%. Using the selling price instead (200 ÷ 1,000) gives the wrong answer 20%.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. ₱1,800
5% of ₱36,000 = 0.05 × 36,000 = ₱1,800. Quick method: 10% is ₱3,600, and half of that is ₱1,800, which is 5%. Commission is always worked out on the amount of sales.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. ₱7,500
Rent = ₱6,000 and food = ₱4,500, a total of ₱10,500. What is left is ₱18,000 − ₱10,500 = ₱7,500, which is 5/12 of the salary.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. 360 m²
Area of a rectangle = length × width = 24 m × 15 m = 360 square metres. The perimeter, 2 × (24 + 15) = 78 m, is a common wrong choice.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. 10 days
The job takes 8 × 15 = 120 worker-days. With 12 workers it takes 120 ÷ 12 = 10 days. More workers means fewer days, so this is an inverse proportion.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. 70%
Percentage = 42 ÷ 60 × 100 = 70%. Check: 70% of 60 = 42. Simplifying first also works: 42/60 = 7/10, which is 70%.