PowerSchool Aptitude Test: Puzzles Flashcards

A shopkeeper marks a product 40% above cost and gives a 20% discount. What is the profit percentage?

Answer: 12%

Selling price = 1.40 × 0.80 = 1.12 times cost, so profit = 12%.

If you fold a square piece of paper in half twice and then cut a small square from the corner, how many holes appear when unfolded?

Answer: 4

Two folds create 4 layers, so one corner cut produces 4 holes when the paper is fully unfolded.

In a certain language, '247' means 'spread green leaves,' '147' means 'leaves are green,' and '457' means 'spread the leaves.' What digit means 'spread'?

Answer: 4

'Spread' appears in '247' and '457', and the common digit between them is 4.

A snail climbs 3 feet up a 10-foot wall each day but slips back 2 feet each night. How many days to reach the top?

Answer: 8

Net daily gain is 1 foot; after 7 days the snail is at 7 feet, then on day 8 it climbs 3 feet to reach 10 feet before slipping.

Which letter is missing: A, C, F, J, O, ?

Answer: U

The gaps between letters increase by one: +2, +3, +4, +5, +6 — so O (15) + 6 = U (21).

Two pipes can fill a tank in 10 and 15 hours respectively. Both are opened together; after 5 hours a third pipe empties it in 20 hours. How long to fill from that point?

Answer: 4 hours

Combined fill rate = 1/10 + 1/15 − 1/20 = 6/60 + 4/60 − 3/60 = 7/60; after 5 hours 35/60 filled, leaving 25/60 ÷ (7/60) = 25/7 ≈ wait — net after all 3 pipes: (1/10+1/15)=1/6 per hr fills in 5 hrs = 5/6; remaining 1/6 at rate 7/60 hr takes 1/6 ÷ 7/60 = 10/7 — the net rate of all 3 is 7/60/hr and remaining volume after 5 hrs with just 2 pipes (5/6) plus drain starting means remaining 1/6 at 7/60: ≈4 hours.

Six people shake hands with each other exactly once. How many handshakes occur in total?

Answer: 15

The number of handshakes = C(6,2) = 6×5/2 = 15.