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Core mathematics

Written by Hassan Raza (Mathematics)

50 IBA Mathematics questions with answers and explanations.

Printable worksheet with answer key

All questions with answers
  1. The highest common factor of 36 and 48 is:

    • 1 12
    • 2 144
    • 3 24
    • 4 6
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 12

    36 = 2² × 3² and 48 = 2⁴ × 3, so the HCF is 2² × 3 = 12.

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  2. The lowest common multiple of 6, 8 and 12 is:

    • 1 72
    • 2 24
    • 3 12
    • 4 48
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 24

    The LCM is the smallest number that all three divide: 24.

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  3. In a class, 12 students play cricket, 9 play football and 4 play both. How many play at least one of the two games?

    • 1 25
    • 2 13
    • 3 17
    • 4 21
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 17

    The number is 12 + 9 − 4 = 17.

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  4. If f(x) = 7x − 9, then f(3) is:

    • 1 −6
    • 2 12
    • 3 21
    • 4 30
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    Correct answer: 12

    f(3) = 21 − 9 = 12.

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  5. If f(x) = 7x − 9, the inverse function is:

    • 1 (x − 9) ÷ 7
    • 2 7x + 9
    • 3 (x + 9) ÷ 7
    • 4 1 ÷ (7x − 9)
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (x + 9) ÷ 7

    Solve y = 7x − 9 for x to get x = (y + 9) ÷ 7.

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  6. The cube root of 343 is:

    • 1 7
    • 2 17
    • 3 9
    • 4 49
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    Correct answer: 7

    7 × 7 × 7 = 343.

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  7. The decimal 0.35 as a percentage is:

    • 1 350%
    • 2 0.35%
    • 3 35%
    • 4 3.5%
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 35%

    Multiply by 100.

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  8. The number 4.8764 rounded to 2 decimal places is:

    • 1 4.87
    • 2 4.80
    • 3 4.90
    • 4 4.88
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 4.88

    The third decimal place is 6, so round up.

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  9. Rs 5000 is divided in the ratio 3 : 7. The smaller share is:

    • 1 Rs 2000
    • 2 Rs 3500
    • 3 Rs 1500
    • 4 Rs 1250
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Rs 1500

    One part is 500, so the smaller share is 1500.

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  10. A car uses 8 litres of fuel for every 100 km. How much fuel does it use for 250 km?

    • 1 25 litres
    • 2 18 litres
    • 3 16 litres
    • 4 20 litres
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    Correct answer: 20 litres

    The fuel is 8 × 2.5 = 20 litres.

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  11. A price rises from Rs 80 to Rs 100. The percentage increase is:

    • 1 125%
    • 2 25%
    • 3 20%
    • 4 80%
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    Correct answer: 25%

    The rise of 20 is 25% of 80.

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  12. The value of log₁₀ 0.01 is:

    • 1 −2
    • 2 2
    • 3 0.01
    • 4 −1
    Show answer

    Correct answer: −2

    10⁻² = 0.01.

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  13. If 2ˣ = 64, then x is:

    • 1 8
    • 2 5
    • 3 32
    • 4 6
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    Correct answer: 6

    2⁶ = 64.

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  14. The length 2.5 km in metres is:

    • 1 25000 m
    • 2 2500 m
    • 3 250 m
    • 4 25 m
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    Correct answer: 2500 m

    One kilometre is 1000 metres.

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  15. The simple interest on Rs 12,000 at 6% a year for 3 years is:

    • 1 Rs 2000
    • 2 Rs 720
    • 3 Rs 2160
    • 4 Rs 1800
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Rs 2160

    Interest = 12000 × 6 × 3 ÷ 100 = 2160.

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  16. Rs 10,000 is invested at 10% compound interest for 2 years. The amount at the end is:

    • 1 Rs 12,200
    • 2 Rs 12,000
    • 3 Rs 11,000
    • 4 Rs 12,100
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Rs 12,100

    The amount is 10000 × 1.1 × 1.1 = 12100.

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  17. The gradient of the line y = 3x − 5 is:

    • 1 −5
    • 2 −3
    • 3 5
    • 4 3
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    Correct answer: 3

    In y = mx + c the gradient is m.

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  18. The gradient of the line through (1, 2) and (3, 8) is:

    • 1 4
    • 2 2
    • 3 6
    • 4 3
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    Correct answer: 3

    Gradient = (8 − 2) ÷ (3 − 1) = 3.

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  19. Expand (x + 3)(x − 2).

    • 1 x² − x − 6
    • 2 x² + x − 6
    • 3 x² + x + 6
    • 4 x² + 5x − 6
    Show answer

    Correct answer: x² + x − 6

    x² − 2x + 3x − 6 = x² + x − 6.

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  20. The value of (2³ × 2⁴) ÷ 2⁵ is:

    • 1 8
    • 2 2
    • 3 4
    • 4 32
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 4

    The indices combine to 2⁷⁻⁵ = 2².

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  21. Solve 3x − 7 > 11.

    • 1 x < 6
    • 2 x > 18
    • 3 x > 6
    • 4 x > 4
    Show answer

    Correct answer: x > 6

    3x > 18, so x > 6.

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  22. The larger solution of x² − 5x + 6 = 0 is:

    • 1 3
    • 2 6
    • 3 5
    • 4 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 3

    The solutions are 2 and 3.

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  23. The sum of the interior angles of a pentagon is:

    • 1 450°
    • 2 360°
    • 3 540°
    • 4 720°
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 540°

    The sum is (n − 2) × 180° = 540°.

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  24. The area of a circle of radius 6 cm is:

    • 1 72π cm²
    • 2 6π cm²
    • 3 12π cm²
    • 4 36π cm²
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    Correct answer: 36π cm²

    Area = πr².

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  25. In a right triangle the hypotenuse is 10 and the side opposite angle θ is 6. Then cos θ is:

    • 1 3/5
    • 2 3/4
    • 3 5/3
    • 4 4/5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 4/5

    The adjacent side is 8, so cos θ = 8 ÷ 10.

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  26. The mean of 4, 8, 9, 11 and 13 is:

    • 1 10
    • 2 9
    • 3 8
    • 4 11
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 9

    The sum is 45 and 45 ÷ 5 = 9.

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  27. Two fair dice are thrown. The probability that the sum is 12 is:

    • 1 1/12
    • 2 1/6
    • 3 1/36
    • 4 2/36
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 1/36

    Only 6 and 6 give a sum of 12.

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  28. The sum of the matrices with rows (1, 2) and (3, 4), and with rows (0, 1) and (2, 1), has rows:

    • 1 (0, 2) and (6, 4)
    • 2 (1, 2) and (5, 4)
    • 3 (1, 3) and (6, 5)
    • 4 (1, 3) and (5, 5)
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (1, 3) and (5, 5)

    Add the matching entries.

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  29. The magnitude of the vector (3, 4) is:

    • 1 12
    • 2 25
    • 3 7
    • 4 5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 5

    The magnitude is √(9 + 16) = 5.

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  30. The volume of a cylinder of radius 3 cm and height 10 cm is:

    • 1 300π cm³
    • 2 60π cm³
    • 3 30π cm³
    • 4 90π cm³
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 90π cm³

    Volume = πr²h = π × 9 × 10.

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  31. Two functions are defined by f(x) = 4 − (x − 2)² and g(x) = 6 − x. What is one possible value of a such that f(a) = g(a)?

    • 1 5
    • 2 4
    • 3 1
    • 4 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 2

    Setting the functions equal gives a² − 5a + 6 = 0, so a = 2 or a = 3.

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  32. If 2 ÷ (x − 1) = 3, then x is:

    • 1 3/2
    • 2 5/3
    • 3 7/3
    • 4 1/3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 5/3

    x − 1 = 2/3, so x = 5/3.

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  33. If 3x + 2y = 16 and x − y = 2, then x + y is:

    • 1 8
    • 2 10
    • 3 6
    • 4 4
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 6

    Solving gives x = 4 and y = 2.

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  34. The larger solution of x² − 4x − 5 = 0 is:

    • 1 5
    • 2 4
    • 3 −1
    • 4 −5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 5

    The equation factors as (x − 5)(x + 1) = 0.

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  35. The solution of −2x + 5 ≥ 1 is:

    • 1 x ≥ 2
    • 2 x ≥ 3
    • 3 x ≤ −2
    • 4 x ≤ 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: x ≤ 2

    −2x ≥ −4, and dividing by −2 turns the sign around.

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  36. A number is increased by 20% and the result is then decreased by 20%. The net change is:

    • 1 An increase of 4%
    • 2 A decrease of 2%
    • 3 A decrease of 4%
    • 4 No change
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A decrease of 4%

    1.2 × 0.8 = 0.96.

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  37. Rs 5000 is invested at 8% compound interest for 2 years. The amount at the end is:

    • 1 Rs 5832
    • 2 Rs 5640
    • 3 Rs 5800
    • 4 Rs 5864
    Show answer

    Correct answer: Rs 5832

    The amount is 5000 × 1.08 × 1.08.

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  38. A shop gives a 15% discount and then a further 10% off the reduced price. The single equivalent discount is:

    • 1 22.5%
    • 2 25%
    • 3 23.5%
    • 4 24%
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 23.5%

    0.85 × 0.90 = 0.765, so the discount is 23.5%.

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  39. A mixture of 20 litres has milk and water in the ratio 3 : 2. How much water is there?

    • 1 6 litres
    • 2 12 litres
    • 3 8 litres
    • 4 10 litres
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 8 litres

    The water is 2/5 of 20 litres.

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  40. The number 0.004567 rounded to 2 significant figures is:

    • 1 0.00457
    • 2 0.0045
    • 3 0.0050
    • 4 0.0046
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 0.0046

    The first two significant figures are 4 and 5, and the next digit 6 rounds up.

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  41. The number 45000 in standard form is:

    • 1 0.45 × 10⁴
    • 2 4.5 × 10⁴
    • 3 4.5 × 10³
    • 4 45 × 10³
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 4.5 × 10⁴

    Move the decimal point four places.

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  42. The value of 8^(2/3) is:

    • 1 6
    • 2 4
    • 3 16
    • 4 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 4

    The cube root of 8 is 2, and 2² = 4.

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  43. The value of log₂ 40 − log₂ 5 is:

    • 1 5
    • 2 8
    • 3 35
    • 4 3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 3

    The difference is log₂ 8 = 3.

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  44. In a group of 60 people, 35 like tea, 30 like coffee and 10 like both. How many like neither?

    • 1 5
    • 2 15
    • 3 10
    • 4 0
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 5

    The number who like at least one is 35 + 30 − 10 = 55.

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  45. A bag has 4 red and 6 blue marbles. Two are drawn without replacement. The probability that both are red is:

    • 1 3/10
    • 2 2/15
    • 3 1/5
    • 4 4/25
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 2/15

    The probability is 4/10 × 3/9 = 2/15.

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  46. The mean of 5 numbers is 12. When one number, 10, is removed, the mean of the other 4 is:

    • 1 12
    • 2 12.5
    • 3 13
    • 4 11.5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 12.5

    The total is 60, and 50 ÷ 4 = 12.5.

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  47. The median of 3, 9, 4, 7, 1 and 8 is:

    • 1 4
    • 2 6
    • 3 7
    • 4 5.5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 5.5

    In order the numbers are 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and the middle two are 4 and 7.

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  48. Each exterior angle of a regular hexagon is:

    • 1 30°
    • 2 60°
    • 3 72°
    • 4 120°
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 60°

    The exterior angles add up to 360°, and 360 ÷ 6 = 60.

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  49. The total surface area of a cube of side 4 cm is:

    • 1 64 cm²
    • 2 48 cm²
    • 3 16 cm²
    • 4 96 cm²
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 96 cm²

    There are 6 faces of area 16 cm².

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  50. If tan θ = 3/4 and θ is an acute angle, then sin θ is:

    • 1 5/3
    • 2 4/5
    • 3 3/5
    • 4 3/4
    Show answer

    Correct answer: 3/5

    The triangle has sides 3, 4 and 5, so sin θ = 3/5.

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