Placement Aptitude Test— Concepts, Formulas & Shortcuts
- Service-company papers reward consistency across topics more than depth in one.
- Expect 60–75 seconds per question with sectional cut-offs in most 2026 drives.
- Series and coding-decoding are the fastest-scoring reasoning topics — never leave them.
- One full DI set usually appears; practise reading tables under time pressure.
- Sectional cut-offs mean you cannot compensate for a weak section with a strong one.
- Accuracy above speed: most cut-offs sit near 60–70% with negative marking.
Placement Aptitude Test Practice Questions with Answers
Attempt each question first, then open the explanation. All 25 questions below are free to read and require no signup.
Q1.A person spends 75% of his income and saves ₹3,000. His income is:
Easy- A₹9,000
- B₹10,000
- C₹12,000
- D₹15,000
Placement Aptitude Test question 1 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. ₹12,000
Explanation: Savings = 25% of income = 3,000 → income = ₹12,000.
Q2.The ratio of the ages of A and B is 3 : 5 and the sum of their ages is 64. B's age is:
Easy- A24 years
- B32 years
- C36 years
- D40 years
Placement Aptitude Test question 2 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: D. 40 years
Explanation: Total 8 parts → 1 part = 8 → B = 5 × 8 = 40 years.
Q3.A train 150 m long crosses a platform 250 m long in 20 seconds. Its speed is:
Moderate- A54 km/h
- B60 km/h
- C72 km/h
- D80 km/h
Placement Aptitude Test question 3 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 72 km/h
Explanation: Distance = 400 m in 20 s = 20 m/s = 72 km/h.
Q4.Find the missing term: 3, 9, 27, ?, 243
Easy- A54
- B63
- C81
- D108
Placement Aptitude Test question 4 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 81
Explanation: Each term is multiplied by 3: 27 × 3 = 81.
Q5.If CAT is coded 3-1-20 and DOG is 4-15-7, then BAT is coded:
Easy- A2-1-20
- B2-1-19
- C1-2-20
- D2-20-1
Placement Aptitude Test question 5 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: A. 2-1-20
Explanation: Letters map to alphabet positions: B = 2, A = 1, T = 20.
Q6.A and B together earn ₹6,000. If A earns 1.5 times B, then B earns:
Moderate- A₹2,000
- B₹2,400
- C₹2,800
- D₹3,600
Placement Aptitude Test question 6 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. ₹2,400
Explanation: A : B = 3 : 2, total 5 parts → B = 2/5 × 6,000 = ₹2,400.
Q7.The next number in the series 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, ? is:
Easy- A42
- B45
- C49
- D54
Placement Aptitude Test question 7 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 49
Explanation: These are squares; the next is 7² = 49.
Q8.A shopkeeper allows a 20% discount and still makes a 20% profit. If the cost price is ₹400, the marked price is:
Difficult- A₹560
- B₹600
- C₹640
- D₹720
Placement Aptitude Test question 8 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. ₹600
Explanation: SP = 400 × 1.2 = ₹480. If MP = m, 0.8m = 480 → m = ₹600.
Q9.12 men complete a job in 20 days. After 8 days, 4 more men join. The remaining work is completed in:
Difficult- A7 days
- B8 days
- C9 days
- D10 days
Placement Aptitude Test question 9 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 9 days
Explanation: Total = 240 man-days; 96 done in 8 days, leaving 144. With 16 men: 144/16 = 9 days.
Q10.The probability of drawing an ace from a standard pack of 52 cards is:
Easy- A1/13
- B1/26
- C3/13
- D1/4
Placement Aptitude Test question 10 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: A. 1/13
Explanation: 4 aces out of 52 → 4/52 = 1/13.
Q11.If the radius of a circle is increased by 100%, its area increases by:
Difficult- A100%
- B200%
- C300%
- D400%
Placement Aptitude Test question 11 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 300%
Explanation: Doubling the radius quadruples the area, which is a 300% increase.
Q12.A man travels 150 km at 50 km/h and returns at 75 km/h. His average speed is:
Moderate- A58 km/h
- B60 km/h
- C62.5 km/h
- D65 km/h
Placement Aptitude Test question 12 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 60 km/h
Explanation: Equal distances → 2 × 50 × 75/125 = 7500/125 = 60 km/h.
Q13.In a class of 60, the ratio of boys to girls is 7 : 5. The number of girls is:
Easy- A20
- B25
- C30
- D35
Placement Aptitude Test question 13 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 25
Explanation: Total 12 parts → 1 part = 5 → girls = 5 × 5 = 25.
Q14.The value of (0.5)³ is:
Easy- A0.0125
- B0.125
- C1.25
- D12.5
Placement Aptitude Test question 14 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 0.125
Explanation: 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.5 = 0.125.
Q15.A sum of ₹5,000 amounts to ₹6,050 in 2 years at compound interest. The rate per annum is:
Moderate- A8%
- B10%
- C12%
- D15%
Placement Aptitude Test question 15 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 10%
Explanation: 6050/5000 = 1.21 = (1.1)², so the rate is 10%.
Q16.A person saves 20% of his income. If he saves ₹5,000, his income is:
Easy- A₹20,000
- B₹25,000
- C₹30,000
- D₹35,000
Placement Aptitude Test question 16 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. ₹25,000
Explanation: 20% of income = 5,000 → income = ₹25,000.
Q17.A train 120 m long crosses a pole in 6 seconds. Its speed is:
Moderate- A54 km/h
- B60 km/h
- C72 km/h
- D80 km/h
Placement Aptitude Test question 17 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 72 km/h
Explanation: 120/6 = 20 m/s = 72 km/h.
Q18.Find the missing term: 4, 12, 36, ?, 324
Moderate- A72
- B96
- C108
- D144
Placement Aptitude Test question 18 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 108
Explanation: Each term is multiplied by 3: 36 × 3 = 108.
Q19.If 15 men can do a job in 24 days, 20 men will take:
Moderate- A16 days
- B18 days
- C20 days
- D22 days
Placement Aptitude Test question 19 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 18 days
Explanation: 15 × 24 = 360 man-days → 360/20 = 18 days.
Q20.The ratio of boys to girls in a school of 720 is 5 : 4. The number of boys is:
Moderate- A320
- B360
- C400
- D420
Placement Aptitude Test question 20 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 400
Explanation: Total 9 parts → 1 part = 80 → boys = 5 × 80 = 400.
Q21.A shopkeeper gives successive discounts of 10% and 20% on a ₹500 item. The final price is:
Difficult- A₹350
- B₹360
- C₹375
- D₹400
Placement Aptitude Test question 21 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. ₹360
Explanation: 500 × 0.9 × 0.8 = ₹360.
Q22.The simple interest on ₹7,200 at 5% for 2 years is:
Easy- A₹600
- B₹660
- C₹720
- D₹780
Placement Aptitude Test question 22 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. ₹720
Explanation: SI = 7200 × 5 × 2/100 = ₹720.
Q23.If the perimeter of a square is 48 cm, its area is:
Easy- A100 cm²
- B121 cm²
- C144 cm²
- D169 cm²
Placement Aptitude Test question 23 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 144 cm²
Explanation: Side = 48/4 = 12 cm → area = 144 cm².
Q24.Two dice are rolled. The probability that both show the same number is:
Moderate- A1/12
- B1/6
- C1/4
- D1/3
Placement Aptitude Test question 24 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. 1/6
Explanation: There are 6 doublets out of 36 outcomes → 6/36 = 1/6.
Q25.A car's speed increases from 40 km/h to 50 km/h. The percentage increase is:
Easy- A20%
- B22.5%
- C25%
- D30%
Placement Aptitude Test question 25 of 25+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: C. 25%
Explanation: (50 − 40)/40 × 100 = 25%.
Placement Aptitude Test — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difficulty level of TCS NQT and similar 2026 aptitude sections?+
Moderate — the concepts are Class 8–10 level, but the time limit is tight and there are sectional cut-offs, so consistency across quant, reasoning and verbal matters more than brilliance in any one.
Is there negative marking in campus placement tests?+
It varies by company and year. Several major recruiters apply it in the aptitude section, so confirm the pattern for the specific drive and adjust your guessing strategy accordingly.
Cleared the aptitude round? Now grab the role.
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