GMAT Practice Set 1

What is the value of |−7| + |3| − |−2|?

1. A.6
2. B.8✓
3. C.10
4. D.12

Correct answer: B

If n is an integer, which of the following must be even?

1. A.n + 1
2. B.2n + 1
3. C.n²
4. D.2n✓

Correct answer: D

Solve for x: 4x − 9 = 3x + 5

1. A.10
2. B.12
3. C.14✓
4. D.16

Correct answer: C

If 3(x − 2) = 2(x + 5), what is the value of x?

1. A.14
2. B.16✓
3. C.18
4. D.20

Correct answer: B

A store sells notebooks at ₹40 each. If a customer buys 5 or more, each notebook is discounted by 10%. What is the total cost for buying 6 notebooks?

1. A.₹200
2. B.₹216✓
3. C.₹220
4. D.₹240

Correct answer: B

A mixture contains milk and water in the ratio 4:1. If 10 litres of water is added, the ratio becomes 2:1. Find the original quantity of milk in the mixture.

1. A.30 litres
2. B.35 litres
3. C.40 litres✓
4. D.45 litres

Correct answer: C

Find the distance between the points (2, 3) and (7, 15) in the coordinate plane.

1. A.12
2. B.13✓
3. C.14
4. D.15

Correct answer: B

A line passes through the points (1, 2) and (4, 11). What is the slope of the line?

1. A.2
2. B.3✓
3. C.4
4. D.9

Correct answer: B

The mean of five numbers is 18. If four of the numbers are 12, 15, 20, and 22, what is the fifth number?

1. A.19
2. B.20
3. C.21✓
4. D.22

Correct answer: C

In a survey of 100 people, 60 like tea, 50 like coffee, and 20 like both. How many people like neither tea nor coffee?

1. A.5
2. B.10✓
3. C.15
4. D.20

Correct answer: B

Although automation has eliminated many routine manufacturing jobs, it has simultaneously created demand for workers skilled in maintaining and programming automated systems, suggesting that the net effect on employment is more complex than a simple loss of jobs. The passage primarily argues that automation's effect on employment is:

1. A.Purely negative
2. B.Purely positive
3. C.More nuanced than a simple net loss✓
4. D.Impossible to determine

Correct answer: C

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of venture-backed startups fail not because of a lack of funding, but because they build a product for which there is insufficient market demand. Investors increasingly emphasise early customer validation over polished prototypes. According to the passage, what is the primary reason cited for startup failure?

1. A.Lack of funding
2. B.Insufficient market demand for the product✓
3. C.Poorly designed prototypes
4. D.Excessive investor interference

Correct answer: B

The efficient market hypothesis holds that asset prices fully reflect all available information, implying that it is impossible to consistently achieve higher returns than the overall market through stock selection or market timing, except through luck or taking on additional risk. Based on the passage, the efficient market hypothesis implies that:

1. A.Skilled investors can always beat the market through analysis
2. B.Consistently outperforming the market without additional risk is not possible under the hypothesis✓
3. C.Asset prices never change
4. D.Market timing guarantees higher returns

Correct answer: B

Anthropologists studying gift economies have noted that gifts, unlike market transactions, create ongoing social obligations rather than concluding an exchange; the recipient is expected to reciprocate at an unspecified future time, which binds giver and receiver in a continuing relationship rather than a one-off transfer of value. The passage distinguishes gift economies from market transactions primarily on the basis of:

1. A.The monetary value of what is exchanged
2. B.Whether the exchange creates a continuing social relationship versus a concluded transaction✓
3. C.The legal enforceability of the exchange
4. D.The frequency with which the exchange occurs

Correct answer: B

Argument: 'Company X's revenue grew by 20% after it increased its advertising budget by 50%, proving that advertising spending drives revenue growth.' Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

1. A.Company X's main competitor went out of business during the same period, likely driving customers to Company X regardless of advertising✓
2. B.Company X has been in business for 10 years
3. C.Advertising is a common practice in Company X's industry
4. D.Company X's revenue was lower the previous year

Correct answer: A

Argument: 'To reduce traffic congestion, the city should build more highway lanes.' Which of the following, if true, most undermines this proposal?

1. A.New lanes are expensive to build
2. B.Studies show that added highway capacity often induces additional driving demand that fills the new capacity within a few years, leaving congestion largely unchanged✓
3. C.Other cities have built new highways in the past decade
4. D.Public transport ridership has increased slightly

Correct answer: B

Argument: 'All employees who arrived late this month were docked pay. John was not docked pay this month. Therefore, John did not arrive late this month.' This argument's conclusion follows through which type of reasoning?

1. A.Valid deductive reasoning based on the contrapositive✓
2. B.A logical fallacy of affirming the consequent
3. C.An inductive generalisation
4. D.A circular argument

Correct answer: A

Passage: 'Sales of physical newspapers have declined steadily over two decades, yet total revenue for major news organisations has remained relatively stable due to growth in digital subscriptions and licensing deals.' Which of the following can be reasonably inferred?

1. A.News organisations no longer produce physical newspapers
2. B.The decline in one revenue stream has been offset by growth in others✓
3. C.Digital subscriptions are less profitable than print
4. D.Total industry revenue has grown significantly

Correct answer: B

Passage: 'A study found that employees who took regular short breaks reported higher productivity than those who worked continuously, even though the break-takers spent less total time actively working.' Which conclusion is best supported?

1. A.Taking breaks always increases total output regardless of task type
2. B.Productivity per unit of active working time can be higher for those who take breaks, even with less total active time✓
3. C.Continuous work is always less effective than any amount of break-taking
4. D.The study proves breaks cause productivity gains in all industries

Correct answer: B

Passage: 'Although the new policy was intended to reduce paperwork, employee surveys indicate that the actual time spent on administrative tasks increased slightly after implementation.' What can be inferred about the policy?

1. A.It fully achieved its intended goal
2. B.It may not have achieved its intended goal of reducing paperwork✓
3. C.Employees were not surveyed about the policy
4. D.The policy was cancelled immediately

Correct answer: B

Question: Is x positive? Statement I: x² = 9. Statement II: x + 2 = 5. Which statement(s) alone are sufficient to answer the question?

1. A.Statement I alone is sufficient
2. B.Statement II alone is sufficient, but Statement I alone is not✓
3. C.Both together are needed
4. D.Neither is sufficient

Correct answer: B

Question: Is xy > 0? Statement I: x > 0. Statement II: y > 0. Which statement(s) alone are sufficient to answer the question?

1. A.Statement I alone is sufficient
2. B.Statement II alone is sufficient
3. C.Each alone is sufficient
4. D.Both statements together are needed, but neither alone is sufficient✓

Correct answer: D

Source 1 (Email): 'The marketing budget for Q3 is capped at ₹5,00,000.' Source 2 (Spreadsheet): 'Q3 marketing spend to date: Digital ads ₹2,00,000; Print ₹1,00,000; Events ₹1,50,000.' Based on both sources, how much of the Q3 marketing budget remains unspent?

1. A.₹30,000
2. B.₹50,000✓
3. C.₹75,000
4. D.₹1,00,000

Correct answer: B

Source 1 (Policy): 'Employees are eligible for a performance bonus if they have completed at least 6 months of service and received a rating of 3 or above.' Source 2 (HR Record): 'Employee Rina: 8 months of service, rating 4. Employee Sam: 4 months of service, rating 5.' Based on both sources, who is eligible for the bonus?

1. A.Both Rina and Sam
2. B.Only Rina✓
3. C.Only Sam
4. D.Neither

Correct answer: B

A table shows quarterly profit (₹ lakh) for a company: Q1 = 40, Q2 = 55, Q3 = 45, Q4 = 60. What was the percentage growth in profit from Q1 to Q4?

1. A.33%
2. B.40%
3. C.50%✓
4. D.60%

Correct answer: C

A graph shows a company's customer base growing from 10,000 in Year 1 to 16,000 in Year 3, at a constant annual percentage growth rate. What was the approximate annual growth rate?

1. A.20%
2. B.25%
3. C.26.5%✓
4. D.30%

Correct answer: C

A company must choose a supplier that offers BOTH the lowest cost per unit AND a delivery time of 5 days or less. Supplier A: cost ₹50/unit, delivery 4 days. Supplier B: cost ₹45/unit, delivery 7 days. Supplier C: cost ₹48/unit, delivery 5 days. Supplier D: cost ₹52/unit, delivery 3 days. Which supplier satisfies BOTH conditions at the lowest cost among qualifying suppliers?

1. A.Supplier A
2. B.Supplier B
3. C.Supplier C✓
4. D.Supplier D

Correct answer: C

A project requires selecting two team members — one to lead Design and one to lead Testing — from four candidates with the following skill ratings (out of 10): Design/Testing — P: 9/5, Q: 6/8, R: 7/7, S: 5/9. To maximise the combined score, which pairing should be chosen for Design lead and Testing lead respectively?

1. A.P (Design), S (Testing)✓
2. B.P (Design), Q (Testing)
3. C.R (Design), S (Testing)
4. D.Q (Design), S (Testing)

Correct answer: A

A scatter plot shows a strong positive correlation between hours studied and exam scores for a group of students. Which of the following is the most appropriate interpretation?

1. A.Hours studied definitely causes higher exam scores with no other factors involved
2. B.There is a positive association between hours studied and exam scores in this dataset, though correlation alone does not establish causation✓
3. C.Exam scores determine how many hours a student studies
4. D.There is no meaningful relationship between the two variables

Correct answer: B

A bar chart compares average monthly rainfall (mm) in City A and City B across a year, showing City A consistently higher than City B in every month except during the monsoon months, when City B is higher. What can be concluded?

1. A.City A has higher rainfall than City B in every single month
2. B.City B receives more rainfall than City A during the monsoon months, though not for most of the year✓
3. C.City A and City B have identical rainfall patterns
4. D.Rainfall data cannot be compared using bar charts

Correct answer: B