General Aptitude

Time & Work Tutorial

Time and work problems are common in aptitude tests. Key: convert work to rate, then add/subtract rates.

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Key Formulas

Work, Time & Rate

Open

Basic work-time relationship.

Combined Work (2+ Persons)

Open

Solve when multiple work together.

Pipe & Tank Problems

Open

Inlet-outlet problems (pipes filling/draining).

Work, Time & Rate

Basic work-time relationship.

When to Use: When single person/task duration given.

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Work = Time × Rate (or Efficiency).
  2. Total work = 1 (whole job).
  3. If person completes in T days, rate = 1/T.

Worked Example

Question: A person completes a work in 8 days. In how many days will 2 persons complete?

  1. One person: 8 days to complete 1 work
  2. Rate of 1 person = 1/8 work/day
  3. Rate of 2 persons = 2 × (1/8) = 1/4
  4. Days = 1 ÷ (1/4) = 4 days

Final Answer: 4 days

Option Analysis

Common Mistakes

Quick Shortcut: Time = Work / Rate. More persons = less time proportionally.

Practice This Pattern

5 Q 10 Q 15 Q

Generated 15 focused questions for this pattern.

Q1. Two values are in ratio 5:5. If total is 120, find first value.

  • 60
  • 63
  • 66
  • 57

Answer: 60

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 5+5. Step 2: One part = 120/(10). Step 3: First value = 5 parts = 60.

Q2. Two values are in ratio 5:2. If total is 110, find first value.

  • 78
  • 84
  • 75
  • 81

Answer: 78

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 5+2. Step 2: One part = 110/(7). Step 3: First value = 5 parts = 78.

Q3. Two values are in ratio 7:6. If total is 80, find first value.

  • 46
  • 43
  • 49
  • 40

Answer: 43

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 7+6. Step 2: One part = 80/(13). Step 3: First value = 7 parts = 43.

Q4. Two values are in ratio 2:2. If total is 200, find first value.

  • 100
  • 103
  • 106
  • 97

Answer: 100

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 2+2. Step 2: One part = 200/(4). Step 3: First value = 2 parts = 100.

Q5. Two values are in ratio 4:4. If total is 90, find first value.

  • 48
  • 51
  • 42
  • 45

Answer: 45

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 4+4. Step 2: One part = 90/(8). Step 3: First value = 4 parts = 45.

Q6. Two values are in ratio 7:4. If total is 230, find first value.

  • 143
  • 149
  • 146
  • 152

Answer: 146

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 7+4. Step 2: One part = 230/(11). Step 3: First value = 7 parts = 146.

Q7. Two values are in ratio 7:7. If total is 150, find first value.

  • 78
  • 81
  • 72
  • 75

Answer: 75

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 7+7. Step 2: One part = 150/(14). Step 3: First value = 7 parts = 75.

Q8. Two values are in ratio 3:3. If total is 170, find first value.

  • 88
  • 85
  • 82
  • 91

Answer: 85

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 3+3. Step 2: One part = 170/(6). Step 3: First value = 3 parts = 85.

Q9. Two values are in ratio 7:2. If total is 140, find first value.

  • 111
  • 105
  • 114
  • 108

Answer: 108

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 7+2. Step 2: One part = 140/(9). Step 3: First value = 7 parts = 108.

Q10. Two values are in ratio 2:5. If total is 100, find first value.

  • 31
  • 34
  • 28
  • 25

Answer: 28

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 2+5. Step 2: One part = 100/(7). Step 3: First value = 2 parts = 28.

Q11. Two values are in ratio 2:4. If total is 120, find first value.

  • 43
  • 46
  • 40
  • 37

Answer: 40

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 2+4. Step 2: One part = 120/(6). Step 3: First value = 2 parts = 40.

Q12. Two values are in ratio 5:2. If total is 100, find first value.

  • 68
  • 74
  • 77
  • 71

Answer: 71

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 5+2. Step 2: One part = 100/(7). Step 3: First value = 5 parts = 71.

Q13. Two values are in ratio 7:7. If total is 100, find first value.

  • 50
  • 47
  • 53
  • 56

Answer: 50

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 7+7. Step 2: One part = 100/(14). Step 3: First value = 7 parts = 50.

Q14. Two values are in ratio 5:3. If total is 90, find first value.

  • 56
  • 59
  • 53
  • 62

Answer: 56

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 5+3. Step 2: One part = 90/(8). Step 3: First value = 5 parts = 56.

Q15. Two values are in ratio 2:3. If total is 90, find first value.

  • 33
  • 39
  • 36
  • 42

Answer: 36

Explanation: Step 1: Total parts = 2+3. Step 2: One part = 90/(5). Step 3: First value = 2 parts = 36.