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IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

The Quantitative Aptitude syllabus for IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) in full: 4 chapters, 14 topics and 37 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 50 Quantitative Aptitude flashcards with answers.

4Chapters
14Topics
37Sub-topics
50Flashcards

Quantitative Aptitude syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

  1. Number System and Simplification

     3 topics
    • Number Properties
      • Factors, multiples, LCM and HCF
      • Divisibility rules and remainders
      • Prime and composite numbers
    • Simplification and Approximation
      • BODMAS rule application
      • Approximation of decimals and fractions
      • Surds and indices simplification
    • Fractions, Decimals and Squares
      • Square roots and cube roots
      • Comparison of fractions
      • Recurring decimals

  2. Arithmetic Word Problems

     5 topics
    • Percentage and Ratio-Proportion
      • Percentage increase and decrease
      • Successive percentages
      • Ratio, proportion and partnership
    • Profit, Loss and Discount
      • Cost price, selling price and marked price
      • Successive discounts
      • Dishonest dealer problems
    • Simple and Compound Interest
      • SI and CI formulae
      • Half-yearly and quarterly compounding
      • Difference between SI and CI
    • Average, Mixture and Alligation
      • Average of numbers and ages
      • Rule of alligation
      • Replacement of mixtures
    • Time, Speed and Work
      • Time, speed and distance
      • Boats and streams, trains
      • Time and work, pipes and cisterns

  3. Data Interpretation

     3 topics
    • Tabular and Graphical DI
      • Tables and bar graphs
      • Line graphs and pie charts
      • Mixed and combined graphs
    • Caselet and Missing DI
      • Paragraph-based caselets
      • Missing data interpretation
    • Data Sufficiency
      • Two-statement sufficiency
      • Quantity comparison (Quantity I vs II)

  4. Algebra and Advanced Maths

     3 topics
    • Quadratic Equations
      • Roots and factorisation
      • Comparison of two equations
    • Permutation, Combination and Probability
      • Arrangements and selections
      • Basic probability of events
    • Mensuration and Number Series
      • Area and volume of 2D/3D figures
      • Missing and wrong number series

IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude flashcards — 50 questions with answers

  1. What is the divisibility rule for 8?

    A number is divisible by 8 if its last three digits form a number divisible by 8 (e.g., 1,256 → 256 ÷ 8 = 32, so divisible).

  2. What is the divisibility rule for 11?

    A number is divisible by 11 if the difference between the sum of digits at odd places and the sum of digits at even places is 0 or a multiple of 11.

  3. How are LCM and HCF of two numbers related to the numbers themselves?

    For two numbers a and b: LCM × HCF = a × b.

  4. State the formula for the sum of the first n natural numbers.

    Sum = n(n + 1) / 2.

  5. State the formula for the sum of squares of the first n natural numbers.

    Sum = n(n + 1)(2n + 1) / 6.

  6. State the formula for the sum of cubes of the first n natural numbers.

    Sum = [n(n + 1) / 2]², i.e., the square of the sum of the first n natural numbers.

  7. How do you find the number of factors of a number from its prime factorization?

    If N = p^a × q^b × r^c, the number of factors = (a+1)(b+1)(c+1).

  8. What is the unit digit of any power of a number ending in 5 or 6?

    It always ends in 5 (for numbers ending in 5) or 6 (for numbers ending in 6), regardless of the power.

  9. What is the order of operations used in simplification (BODMAS)?

    Brackets, Orders (powers/roots), Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction — performed in that priority order.

  10. In BODMAS, in what order are brackets solved?

    Innermost first: ( ) round brackets, then { } curly braces, then [ ] square brackets — i.e., from inside out.

  11. In approximation questions, how should √ values and percentages be handled for speed?

    Round each number to the nearest convenient value (e.g., 49.8 ≈ 50, 19.7% ≈ 20%) before computing, since only an approximate answer is required.

  12. What is the value of 'of' in expressions like '1/2 of 60' under BODMAS?

    'of' means multiplication and is treated with the highest priority (like brackets), so 1/2 of 60 = 30, computed before division/multiplication elsewhere.

  13. How do you convert a recurring decimal like 0.̅(ab) (pure recurring) to a fraction?

    Place the repeating block over as many 9s as there are repeating digits, e.g., 0.363636… = 36/99 = 4/11.

  14. What is the fraction equivalent of 0.125, 0.25, and 0.375?

    0.125 = 1/8, 0.25 = 1/4, 0.375 = 3/8.

  15. What is the square of a number ending in 5 (e.g., 35², 65²)?

    For (a5)²: write a×(a+1) followed by 25. E.g., 35² = (3×4)|25 = 1225; 65² = (6×7)|25 = 4225.

  16. List the squares of 11 to 15.

    11²=121, 12²=144, 13²=169, 14²=196, 15²=225.

  17. What fraction equals 1/6, 1/7, and 1/8 as a percentage (approx)?

    1/6 ≈ 16.67%, 1/7 ≈ 14.28%, 1/8 = 12.5%.

  18. How do you increase a number by x% then decrease by x%? What is the net effect?

    Net result is always a decrease of x²/100 percent. E.g., +20% then −20% gives a net −4%.

  19. If A is x% more than B, by what percent is B less than A?

    B is less than A by [x / (100 + x)] × 100 percent.

  20. What is the formula for percentage change?

    Percentage change = [(New value − Old value) / Old value] × 100.

Show the other 30 Quantitative Aptitude flashcards

  1. If a : b = 2 : 3 and b : c = 4 : 5, what is a : b : c?

    Make b common: a:b = 8:12, b:c = 12:15, so a:b:c = 8:12:15.

  2. In a ratio a : b, if both terms are multiplied or divided by the same number, what happens to the ratio?

    The ratio remains unchanged (it is an equivalent ratio).

  3. State the formula for Profit% and Loss%.

    Profit% = (Profit / CP) × 100; Loss% = (Loss / CP) × 100. Both are always calculated on Cost Price.

  4. What is the relationship between Marked Price, Discount, and Selling Price?

    Selling Price = Marked Price × (1 − Discount%/100); Discount = Marked Price − Selling Price.

  5. If a shopkeeper marks goods up by x% and gives a discount of y%, what is the net profit/loss percent?

    Net % = x − y − (xy/100). Positive value = profit, negative = loss.

  6. If two articles are sold at the same SP, one at x% profit and the other at x% loss, what is the overall result?

    There is always an overall loss of (x²/100) percent.

  7. What is the formula for Simple Interest?

    SI = (P × R × T) / 100, where P = principal, R = rate per annum, T = time in years.

  8. What is the formula for Compound Interest (amount) compounded annually?

    A = P(1 + R/100)^T; CI = A − P.

  9. How is CI calculated when compounded half-yearly?

    Use rate R/2 per period and 2T periods: A = P(1 + R/200)^(2T).

  10. What is the difference between CI and SI for 2 years on principal P at rate R%?

    Difference = P(R/100)².

  11. State the basic formula for Average.

    Average = (Sum of all observations) / (Number of observations).

  12. What is the Rule of Alligation used to find?

    It finds the ratio in which two ingredients at different prices/concentrations must be mixed to get a mixture at a given mean price/concentration.

  13. State the alligation ratio formula.

    (Quantity of cheaper) / (Quantity of dearer) = (Dearer price − Mean price) / (Mean price − Cheaper price).

  14. When a vessel of x litres full of liquid has y litres replaced by water n times, what fraction of pure liquid remains?

    Remaining pure liquid = x × (1 − y/x)^n.

  15. If the average of n numbers is A and one number is removed, how do you find the new average?

    New average = (nA − removed value) / (n − 1).

  16. State the relationship between speed, distance, and time.

    Speed = Distance / Time; Distance = Speed × Time; Time = Distance / Speed.

  17. How do you convert km/hr to m/s and vice versa?

    km/hr → m/s: multiply by 5/18. m/s → km/hr: multiply by 18/5.

  18. What is the relative speed of two objects moving in the same direction and in opposite directions?

    Same direction: difference of speeds. Opposite direction: sum of speeds.

  19. If A can do a work in x days and B in y days, in how many days can they finish it together?

    Together in (xy)/(x + y) days; combined one-day work = 1/x + 1/y.

  20. In boats and streams, what are downstream and upstream speeds?

    Downstream speed = boat speed + stream speed; Upstream speed = boat speed − stream speed.

  21. What is the average speed for a journey covering equal distances at speeds x and y?

    Average speed = 2xy / (x + y) (harmonic mean).

  22. In Tabular DI, what is the first step before attempting calculations?

    Read the title, headings, units, and any footnotes carefully to understand exactly what the rows/columns represent and what is given vs. asked.

  23. In a pie chart DI, how do you convert a degree value to an actual quantity?

    Quantity = (Sector angle / 360) × Total; or (Sector percentage / 100) × Total.

  24. What does a Caselet DI present, and how is it best approached?

    A Caselet gives data as a paragraph of text (no table/graph). Best approached by extracting the numbers into a self-made table or Venn diagram before solving.

  25. In Missing DI, how do you find a blank value in a table?

    Use the relationships/conditions given in the question (totals, ratios, percentages between cells) to set up an equation and solve for the missing entry.

  26. In Data Sufficiency, what does it mean when 'Statement I alone is sufficient but II alone is not'?

    The question can be answered uniquely using only Statement I, while Statement II by itself does not yield a unique answer.

  27. In Data Sufficiency, why should you avoid actually solving for the final value?

    You only need to determine whether a unique answer can be obtained, not compute it — solving fully wastes time. Judge sufficiency, not the value.

  28. What is the standard form of a quadratic equation and its roots formula?

    ax² + bx + c = 0; roots x = [−b ± √(b² − 4ac)] / 2a.

  29. For a quadratic ax² + bx + c = 0, what are the sum and product of the roots?

    Sum of roots = −b/a; Product of roots = c/a.

  30. In quadratic comparison questions (compare x and y), what conclusion is drawn if the ranges of x and y overlap?

    No definite relation can be established between x and y (the answer is 'relationship cannot be determined').

IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude FAQ

What is in the IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude syllabus?

IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude is split into 4 chapters: Number System and Simplification, Arithmetic Word Problems, Data Interpretation and Algebra and Advanced Maths. Together they contain 14 topics and 37 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude?

4 chapters, containing 14 topics and 37 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Arithmetic Word Problems, with 5 topics.

Are there flashcards for IBPS PO (Probationary Officer) Quantitative Aptitude?

Yes — a 50-card Quantitative Aptitude deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.