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Question

Among five pencils, A, B, C, D and E, the length of D is 10 cm. A is half the length of D but double the length of C. E is 2 cm longer than C. The length of B is equal to the lengths of A and E taken together. Which is the longest pencil?

This question was previously asked in
SSC Stenographer 2020-21 Previous Year Paper (15-Nov-2021) (Shift 2)
The correct answer is

D

Finding the Longest Pencil Length

This problem involves comparing the lengths of five pencils, A, B, C, D, and E, based on given relationships. We are provided with the length of one pencil and rules relating the others. To find the longest pencil, we must first calculate the length of each pencil.

Step-by-Step Calculation of Pencil Lengths

We start with the known length and use the given relationships to find the lengths of the other pencils one by one.

  1. Length of Pencil D:

    We are given the length of pencil D directly.

    \text{Length of D} = 10 \text{ cm}

  2. Length of Pencil A:

    The problem states that A is half the length of D.

    \text{Length of A} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{Length of D}

    \text{Length of A} = \frac{1}{2} \times 10 \text{ cm}

    \text{Length of A} = 5 \text{ cm}

  3. Length of Pencil C:

    We are told that A is double the length of C. This means C is half the length of A.

    \text{Length of C} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{Length of A}

    \text{Length of C} = \frac{1}{2} \times 5 \text{ cm}

    \text{Length of C} = 2.5 \text{ cm}

  4. Length of Pencil E:

    The problem states that E is 2 cm longer than C.

    \text{Length of E} = \text{Length of C} + 2 \text{ cm}

    \text{Length of E} = 2.5 \text{ cm} + 2 \text{ cm}

    \text{Length of E} = 4.5 \text{ cm}

  5. Length of Pencil B:

    The length of B is equal to the lengths of A and E taken together (sum of their lengths).

    \text{Length of B} = \text{Length of A} + \text{Length of E}

    \text{Length of B} = 5 \text{ cm} + 4.5 \text{ cm}

    \text{Length of B} = 9.5 \text{ cm}

Comparing Pencil Lengths

Now that we have calculated the length of each pencil, we can compare them to find the longest one.

Pencil Length (cm)
A 5.0
B 9.5
C 2.5
D 10.0
E 4.5

Comparing the lengths: 5.0 cm (A), 9.5 cm (B), 2.5 cm (C), 10.0 cm (D), and 4.5 cm (E).

The longest length among these is 10.0 cm, which is the length of pencil D.

Conclusion: Identifying the Longest Pencil

Based on our calculations and comparison, the longest pencil is D.

The lengths are: A = 5 cm, B = 9.5 cm, C = 2.5 cm, D = 10 cm, E = 4.5 cm. The largest value is 10 cm, corresponding to pencil D.

Therefore, the longest pencil is D.

Revision Table: Pencil Lengths Summary

Pencil Relationship Calculated Length (cm)
D Given 10.0
A Half of D 5.0
C Half of A 2.5
E 2 cm longer than C 4.5
B A and E together 9.5

Additional Information: Solving Comparison Problems

Comparison problems like this require careful reading and step-by-step processing of information. Here are some tips:

  • Identify the known quantities first.
  • Break down the relationships given in the problem into smaller steps.
  • Write down each relationship as an equation or simple statement.
  • Solve for unknown quantities one by one, using the results from previous steps.
  • Organize your findings, perhaps in a table, to make comparison easier.
  • Finally, compare all the calculated values to answer the specific question asked (e.g., longest, shortest, difference, etc.).

Using clear notation and keeping track of units (like cm) is also helpful.

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Important Questions from Quant Based Puzzle

  1. There are deers and peacocks in a zoo. By counting heads they are 80. The number of their legs is 200. How many peacocks are there?
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  3. A, B, C, D and E play a game of cards. A says to B, "If you give me three cards, you will have as many as E has and if I give you three cards, you will have as many as D has". A and B together have 10 cards more than what D and E together have. If B has two cards more than what C has and the total number of cards be 133, how many cards does B have?
  4. A player holds 13 cards of four suits, of which seven are black and six are red. There are twice as many diamonds as spades and twice as many hearts as diamonds. How many clubs does he hold?
  5. There are fourteen teams playing in a tournament. If every team plays one match with every other team, how many matches will be played in the tournament?

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