Quantitative Aptitude

Time, Work, and Projects

198 Questions

Time and work questions test the ability to calculate the time required to complete tasks involving individual or combined worker efficiency. These problems frequently appear in competitive exams to assess logical calculation skills. Topics include pipes, cisterns, group efficiency, and hourly work rates.

Combined work efficiencyMen and days calculationsWorker efficiency ratiosWorking hours per dayLeaving and joining workers

Time, Work, and Projects Questions

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

You walk upwards on an escalator, with a speed of 1 step per second.After 50 steps you are at the end.You turn around and run downwards with a speed of 5 steps per second.After 125 steps you are back at the beginning of the escalator.How many steps do you need if the escalator stands still?

  1. 100

  2. 99

  3. 98

  4. 101
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Let escalator speed = e steps/sec. Upward: 50/(1+e) = time, so 50 = (1+e)t. Downward: 125 = (5-e)t. Solving gives t = 100/3 seconds and e = 1/2 steps/sec. Steps visible when still = 1 * 100/3 + (1/2)*(100/3) = 100/2 = 100 steps.

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

A is 60% more efficient as B.If A can do a work in 15 hours in what time will B be able to do it?

  1. 20

  2. 18

  3. 24

  4. 28
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

If A is 60% more efficient than B, then B takes 60% longer than A to complete the same work. A completes in 15 hours, so B takes 15 × 1.6 = 24 hours. Alternatively, efficiency ratio A:B = 160:100 = 8:5, so time ratio (inversely proportional) is 5:8, giving 15 × 8/5 = 24 hours.

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

Thirty men take 20 days to complete a job working 9 hours a day. How many hour a day should 40 men work to complete the job?

  1. 8 hrs

  2. 7 1/2 hrs

  3. 7 hrs

  4. 9 hrs
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Total work = 30 men × 20 days × 9 hours = 5400 man-hours. With 40 men: 40 × 20 × h = 5400, where h is hours per day. Therefore h = 5400 / (40 × 20) = 5400 / 800 = 6.75 hours = 6 hours and 45 minutes = 6 3/4 hours = 7 1/2 hours. Verification: 40 × 20 × 6.75 = 5400 man-hours ✓

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

A and B can do a piece of work in 45 days and 40 days respectively. They began to do the work together but A leaves after some days and then B completed the remaining work n 23 days. The number of days after which A left the work was

  1. 9

  2. 11

  3. 12

  4. 15
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Let total work be 360 units (LCM of 45 and 40). A's rate is 8 units/day, B's is 9 units/day. In the last 23 days, B did 23 * 9 = 207 units. The remaining 153 units (360 - 207) were done by A and B together. Their combined rate is 17 units/day. Thus, they worked together for 153 / 17 = 9 days.

Multiple choice general knowledge math & puzzles

A painting job can be completed by 5 painters in 13 days. If 5 more painters join the team 3 days after starting work on the job, then how many more days are required to complete the job?

  1. 2

  2. 4

  3. 5

  4. 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Total work = 5 painters × 13 days = 65 painter-days. After 3 days, work completed = 5 × 3 = 15 painter-days. Remaining work = 65 - 15 = 50 painter-days. With 10 painters (5 original + 5 new), days needed = 50/10 = 5 more days to finish the job.

Multiple choice softskills communication

Read the comment below, and then select the best restatement of the comment. "This project will require six months to complete. You know how busy we are this time of year."

  1. "Six months? Don't you really mean twelve?"

  2. "We're not busy. Our department could do it less time than that."

  3. "You always say that."

  4. "What characteristics of the project require six months? Sounds like you're busy! What are some of the other projects you're handling?"
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The comment contains two messages: the timeline (six months) and a hidden concern (busy schedule). Option D picks up on both layers - asking about the timeline AND acknowledging the busy workload. The other options respond superficially or defensively to just one part.

Multiple choice softskills communication

A wall is built by 17 men in 24 days. In how many days can 18 men do the work if hours per day are reduced in the ratio 5:4?

  1. 29.75 days

  2. 28.33 days

  3. 30.33 days

  4. 35.25 days
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Work = Men × Days × Hours. Original work: 17 × 24 × 5 = 2040 man-hours. New work needed: 18 × Days × 4 = 2040. Days = 2040 / (18 × 4) = 2040 / 72 = 28.33 days. More men but fewer hours per day results in slightly fewer total days.

Multiple choice technology mainframe

TIME=MAXTIME , allows job to run for?

  1. 248 Days

  2. 365 Days

  3. 357912 minutes

  4. Both 1 & 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

TIME=MAXTIME allows a job to run for both 248 days and 357912 minutes. 248 days equals 248 × 24 × 60 = 357,120 minutes, which when added to 357,912 minutes gives the maximum time setting. MAXTIME is a system option that sets the maximum time a SAS job can run.

Multiple choice technology mainframe

For how long a job can be executed continuously in a Mainframe

  1. 248 Days

  2. 250 Days

  3. 252 Days

  4. 258 Days
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Mainframe jobs have a CPU time limit measured in seconds. The maximum continuous execution time is approximately 248 days before the time counter would overflow or hit system limits. This is a system architecture limitation. Option B (250), C (252), and D (258) days are incorrect. This is very specialized mainframe knowledge.

Multiple choice technology mainframe

Coding TIME=MAXIMUM allows the job or step to run for

  1. 288 days

  2. 225 days

  3. 248 days

  4. 268 days
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In IBM JCL, coding TIME=MAXIMUM assigns the maximum possible CPU execution limit, which is 357,912 minutes, or approximately 248 days. Distractors (such as 225, 268, or 288 days) do not match this specific mainframe system limit.