The monthly average salary paid to all the employees of a company was Rs. 5000. The monthly average salary paid to male and female employees was Rs. 5200 and Rs. 4200 respectively. Then the percentage of males employed in the company is:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 80%
The overall average of Rs. 5000 is Rs. 200 below the men's average and Rs. 800 above the women's. So men and women are in the ratio 800 : 200 = 4 : 1, and men are 80% of the staff.
- Let the share of men be m; women are 1 − m.
- 5200m + 4200(1 − m) = 5000, so 1000m = 800 and m = 0.8.
- Men = 80%.
- Check by alligation: distances 5200 − 5000 = 200 and 5000 − 4200 = 800; men : women = 800 : 200 = 4 : 1.
Remember · Alligation: each group's share is proportional to the other group's distance from the overall average.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·