SSC CGL 2025 PYQs

Concept: In a GP, multiply a term by the common ratio r to get the next one.

1. a = 3.6, r = 1.5.
2. 2nd term = $3.6\times 1.5=3.6+1.8=5.4$.

Trick: × 1.5 = number + its half: $3.6+1.8=5.4$.

Answer: (B) 5.4

Concept: Classify by organ: legislature (makes laws) vs judiciary (interprets laws).

1. Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha – Houses of Parliament (Union legislature).
2. Vidhan Sabha – State legislature.
3. High Court – part of the judiciary → odd one.

Yaad rakhein: The three organs: Legislature (Parliament, State Assemblies), Executive (President, PM, Council of Ministers), Judiciary (Supreme Court, High Courts).

Answer: (D) High Court

Concept: Terms follow $n^2+1$.

1. Differences: 3, 5, 7, 9 … (odd numbers).
2. $26+11=37$ should come next.
3. Given 38 is wrong.

Trick: Consecutive odd differences always signal a square-based series.

Answer: (C) 38

Concept: Mother's son-in-law = husband of mother's daughter.

1. Preeti is her mother's daughter.
2. So 'mother's son-in-law' points to Preeti's own husband (she is the one speaking).

Trick: A woman calling someone 'my mother's son-in-law' in such questions usually means her husband.

Answer: (A) Husband

Concept: Order: Brackets → Powers → Multiplication.

1. $(2+3)=5,(7-5)=2$.
2. $2^2=4$.
3. $5\times 4=20$.

Trick: Square only the bracket it is attached to — $(7-5{)}^2$, not the whole product.

Answer: (A) 20

Concept: Find a rule from a and b that fits both examples: a # b = (a − b) × 2b.

1. 5 # 2 = $3\times 4=12$ ✓.
2. 7 # 3 = $4\times 6=24$ ✓.
3. 9 # 4 = $5\times 8=40$.

Trick: Factorise outputs: $12=3\times 4,24=4\times 6$ — first factor is a−b, second is 2b.

Answer: (A) 40

Concept: Total cost = Σ (quantity × rate).

1. Melons: 4 × ₹20 = ₹80.
2. Apples: 2 × ₹35 = ₹70.
3. Total = ₹150.

Trick: Unit digits: 0 + 0 = 0, so the answer ends in 0 — rules out ₹144.

Answer: (D) ₹150

Concept: Find the shift for each position and apply it to the new word.

1. R→S (+1), E→D (−1), A→B (+1), C→D (+1), H→J (+2).
2. Applying the same moves to MANGO letter by letter gives N, Z, O, H, Q.
3. Code: NZOHQ.

Trick: A − 1 wraps to Z — only option (B) has Z in 2nd place.

Answer: (B) NZOHQ

Concept: Shifts WARDEN → XCTEFO: +1, +2, +2, +1, +1, +1.

1. W→X, A→C, R→T, D→E, E→F, N→O.
2. FLOWER: F→G, L→N, O→Q, W→X, E→F, R→S.
3. Code: GNQXFS.

Trick: Check just the 2nd letter: L + 2 = N — only (D) has N.

Answer: (D) GNQXFS

Concept: Replace symbols (+ → ÷, − → ×, × → −, ÷ → +), then BODMAS.

1. $8\times 4÷6+12-4\to 8-4+6÷12\times 4$.
2. $6÷12=\frac{1}{2};\frac{1}{2}\times 4=2$.
3. $8-4+2=6$.

Trick: Write the new expression fully before solving — most errors come from mid-way swapping.

Answer: (C) 6

Concept: Children of two brothers are cousins.

1. P and Q are siblings; their father is R.
2. S is R's brother → paternal uncle of Q.
3. T, son of S, is Q's cousin.

Trick: Father's brother's child = cousin (चचेरा), whatever the gender of Q.

Answer: (A) Cousin

Concept: Convert each option (× → −, − → +, / → ×, + → ÷) and test.

1. (A) $10÷4+2-5=-0.5$ ✗.
2. (B) $30+6÷12\times 4=30+2=32$ ✓.
3. (C) $48\times 8÷3+5-1=132$ ✗; (D) $20-2+4÷8\times 2=19$ ✗.

Trick: Check options with a big leading number first — a small add-on (like +2) makes the match obvious.

Answer: (B) 30−6+12/4=32

Concept: Replace (÷ → −, − → ×, × → +), then apply BODMAS.

1. $21÷4-3\times 7\to 21-4\times 3+7$.
2. $4\times 3=12$.
3. $21-12+7=16$.

Trick: After substitution, do × before + and −.

Answer: (D) 16

Concept: 'No A is B' + 'Some B are C' ⇒ 'Some C are not A'.

1. The triangles that are squares can never be lines (no square is a line).
2. So some triangles are not lines → I follows.
3. Triangles outside squares may or may not be lines → II is not certain.

Trick: No + Some ⇒ 'Some not' conclusion from the reverse side: Some C are not A.

Answer: (A) Only I follows

Concept: Replace # → +, @ → ×, % → −, then solve.

1. $(5+3)\times 3-5$.
2. $8\times 3=24$.
3. $24-5=19$.

Trick: Bracket first, then ×, then − : 8 → 24 → 19.

Answer: (C) 19

Concept: A letter equally far from both ends of an odd-length word is its exact middle letter.

1. APPLICATION has 11 letters in all.
2. Middle position = $\frac{11+1}{2}=6$th.
3. Split it as APPLI | C | ATION → C has 5 letters on each side.

Trick: For n letters (n odd), middle = $\frac{n+1}{2}$-th letter — no need to count from both sides.

Answer: (C) C

Concept: Check each position of the cluster separately.

1. 1st letters: O → N → M → next L.
2. 2nd letters: R → Q → P → next O.
3. 3rd letters: T → S → R → next Q.
4. So the term is LOQ.

Trick: Every letter drops by 1, so just shift MPR one step back: L-O-Q.

Answer: (B) LOQ

Concept: Each position of the cluster follows its own step.

1. Position 1: P, Q, R (+1) → S.
2. Position 2: J, L, N (+2) → P.
3. Position 3: L, K, J (−1) → I.
4. Term = SPI.

Trick: Only option (A) starts with S and has P in the middle — the third letter just confirms it.

Answer: (A) SPI

Concept: Find the item that belongs to a different category.

1. Guava, Banana and Papaya are edible fruits.
2. Marigold (genda) is a flower grown for garlands and decoration, not eaten as a fruit.

Trick: Ask 'Can I eat it as a fruit?' — the one 'No' is the odd one.

Answer: (A) Marigold

Concept: Successive terms are consecutive factorials.

1. $24÷6=4,120÷24=5,720÷120=6,5040÷720=7$ → multipliers rise by 1.
2. Next multiplier = 8.
3. $5040\times 8=40320$ ($=8!$).

Trick: Last digit check: $5040\times 8$ must end in 0 — only 40320 ends in 0.

Answer: (B) 40320