SSC Stenographers - problem solving Question Bank with Options

1. A train travels at 60 km/hr. How many meters will it travel in 1 minute?

A) 1000 meters

B) 600 meters

C) 100 meters

D) 60 meters

2. Which shape is formed by connecting the midpoints of a square?

A) Triangle

B) Square

C) Rectangle

D) Rhombus

3. If 'A' is to 'B' as 'C' is to 'D', then 'E' is to:

A) F

B) G

C) H

D) I

4. Which of the following is a prime number?

A) 9

B) 15

C) 17

D) 21

5. What is the sum of the digits in the number 12345?

A) 10

B) 15

C) 20

D) 25

6. If the day before yesterday was Saturday, what day will the day after tomorrow be?

A) Wednesday

B) Thursday

C) Friday

D) Saturday

7. A cubical box has each side equal to 10 cm. How many such cubical boxes can be filled in a bigger cubical box of side 1 meter?

A) 100

B) 1000

C) 10000

D) 100000

8. What is the smallest number that is divisible by 3, 4, and 5?

A) 12

B) 20

C) 30

D) 60

9. If 'Pen' is related to 'Writer', and 'Needle' is related to 'Tailor', then 'Hammer' is related to:

A) Carpenter

B) Doctor

C) Teacher

D) Chef

10. Consider the following set of numbers: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ___. What is the next number?

A) 11

B) 13

C) 16

D) 21

11. A man is facing North. He turns 45 degrees clockwise, then 90 degrees anti-clockwise, and finally 45 degrees clockwise. In which direction is he facing now?

A) North

B) North-East

C) East

D) South-East

12. If in a certain language, 'GO' means 'WALK', 'COME' means 'RUN', and 'FAST' means 'QUICKLY', then 'GO FAST' means:

A) WALK QUICKLY

B) RUN QUICKLY

C) WALK RUN

D) FAST WALK

13. Which is the odd one out?

A) Square

B) Circle

C) Triangle

D) Rectangle

14. What is the mirror image of the word 'STATION'?

A) NOITATS

B) NOTIATS

C) NOITAT

D) NOTITAT

15. A person walks 5 km North, then 4 km East, then 6 km South, then 3 km West. How far is the person from the starting point?

A) 1 km

B) 2 km

C) sqrt(2) km

D) sqrt(5) km

16. If Tuesday falls on the 5th of the month, what will be the day on the 25th of the same month?

A) Tuesday

B) Wednesday

C) Thursday

D) Friday

17. Which word does NOT belong with the others?

A) Car

B) Bus

C) Train

D) Bicycle

18. A clock shows 4:30. If the minute hand points East, in which direction does the hour hand point?

A) North

B) North-East

C) North-West

D) South-East

19. If you arrange the letters 'P, E, N, C, I, L' to form a word, which letter will be in the middle?

A) N

B) C

C) E

D) P

20. How many triangles are there in the given figure? (Imagine a square divided by its two diagonals)

A) 2

B) 4

C) 6

D) 8

21. A father is 4 times as old as his son. In 5 years, the father will be 3 times as old as his son. What is the present age of the father?

A) 20 years

B) 30 years

C) 40 years

D) 50 years

22. In a certain code, 'TABLE' is written as 'UDCMF'. How is 'CHAIR' written in that code?

A) DIBJS

B) DIBSJ

C) DJBJS

D) DJBSJ

23. If 'CAT' is coded as '3120', how would 'DOG' be coded?

A) 4157

B) 4168

C) 5157

D) 5168

24. What is the next word in the following sequence: Apple, Banana, Cherry, ___?

A) Apricot

B) Blueberry

C) Cantaloupe

D) Date

25. Identify the pattern and find the next letter: A, C, E, G, ___

A) H

B) I

C) J

D) K

26. What is the missing number in the series: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___?

A) 25

B) 30

C) 35

D) 40

27. Consider the following sequence: 2, 4, 8, 16, ___. What is the next number?

A) 20

B) 24

C) 32

D) 64

28. In a logic puzzle, if you are given a set of statements and must determine a unique outcome, what type of reasoning is most heavily relied upon?

A) Inductive Reasoning

B) Deductive Reasoning

C) Abductive Reasoning

D) Intuition

29. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) aims to:

A) Address the symptoms of a problem

B) Identify and address the fundamental underlying causes of a problem

C) Generate as many solutions as possible

D) Evaluate the effectiveness of a solution

30. Which problem-solving approach involves generating many ideas without initial judgment?

A) Critical Analysis

B) Brainstorming

C) Root Cause Analysis

D) SWOT Analysis

31. Lateral thinking, as described by Edward de Bono, emphasizes:

A) Logical, sequential steps

B) Exploring multiple possibilities and challenging assumptions

C) Deep analysis of existing data

D) Rigorous testing of hypotheses

32. To overcome functional fixedness, one might try:

A) Sticking to conventional uses of tools

B) Thinking about objects in new and unconventional ways

C) Ignoring the problem

D) Relying solely on past experiences

33. What is 'functional fixedness' in the context of problem-solving?

A) The tendency to perceive an object only in terms of its usual function

B) The ability to quickly solve problems

C) The process of breaking down complex problems

D) The application of algorithms

34. Confirmation bias affects problem-solving by:

A) Encouraging the search for objective evidence

B) Leading individuals to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs

C) Promoting the consideration of alternative perspectives

D) Facilitating the generation of novel solutions

35. Which of the following is an example of a logical fallacy that can hinder problem-solving?

A) Confirmation Bias

B) Occam's Razor

C) Means-End Analysis

D) Means-End Analysis

36. An 'algorithm' in problem-solving is:

A) A set of instructions that does not guarantee a solution

B) A problem-solving rule of thumb

C) A step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution if one exists

D) A way to simplify complex problems

37. A 'heuristic' in problem-solving is best described as:

A) A guaranteed method to find the correct solution

B) A step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution

C) A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that helps simplify problem-solving

D) A complex mathematical formula

38. When a problem is similar in structure to a problem already solved, using the solution from the previous problem is an example of:

A) Working Backwards

B) Analogy

C) Heuristics

D) Algorithms

39. What is 'trial and error' as a problem-solving technique?

A) A systematic approach to finding the best solution

B) Repeatedly trying different solutions until one works, without a clear plan

C) Using logical deduction to find the solution

D) Seeking advice from others

40. The strategy of 'working backwards' is most effective when:

A) The problem is ill-defined

B) The goal state is clearly defined, and the steps to reach it are reversible

C) There are many possible starting points

D) The problem requires creative solutions

41. A problem-solving strategy that involves breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable sub-problems is known as:

A) Trial and Error

B) Working Backwards

C) Divide and Conquer

D) Analogy

42. Consider the statement: 'All men are mortal. Socrates is a man.' What type of reasoning is used to conclude 'Socrates is mortal'?

A) Inductive Reasoning

B) Deductive Reasoning

C) Abductive Reasoning

D) Lateral Thinking

43. Inductive reasoning typically moves from:

A) Specific observations to broader generalizations

B) General principles to specific conclusions

C) Hypotheses to theories

D) Known facts to unknown facts

44. Which type of reasoning involves drawing specific conclusions from general principles?

A) Inductive Reasoning

B) Deductive Reasoning

C) Abductive Reasoning

D) Analogical Reasoning

45. What is the purpose of 'reviewing the outcome' after implementing a solution?

A) To confirm the solution was perfect

B) To determine if the solution was effective and to learn from the experience

C) To find fault with the problem

D) To move on to a completely different problem

46. Once a solution is chosen, what is the next logical step?

A) Re-evaluating the problem indefinitely

B) Implementing the chosen solution

C) Seeking new problems to solve

D) Forgetting about the original problem

47. What is meant by 'evaluating solutions' in the problem-solving process?

A) Choosing the solution that sounds best

B) Assessing the feasibility, effectiveness, and potential consequences of each potential solution

C) Implementing the solution without further thought

D) Discarding all solutions that are not perfect

48. When generating potential solutions, it is important to:

A) Only consider the first idea that comes to mind

B) Focus on solutions that are easy to implement

C) Brainstorm a wide range of possibilities, even unconventional ones

D) Select the most expensive solution

49. In problem-solving, what does 'defining the problem' involve?

A) Immediately jumping to solutions

B) Clearly and accurately identifying what needs to be solved

C) Blaming external factors for the issue

D) Assuming the problem is simple

50. Which of the following is NOT a typical step in the problem-solving process?

A) Defining the problem

B) Generating potential solutions

C) Implementing the chosen solution

D) Ignoring contradictory evidence

problem solving - Question Bank