In a city, 12% of households earn less than ₹ 30,000 per year, 6% households earn more than ₹ 2,00,000 per year, 22% households earn more than ₹ 1,00,000 per year and 990 households earn between ₹ 30,000 and ₹ 1,00,000 per year. How many households earn between ₹ 1,00,000 and ₹ 2,00,000 per year?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 240
The 22% earning above ₹1,00,000 includes the 6% above ₹2,00,000, so 16% earn between ₹1,00,000 and ₹2,00,000. The 990 households between ₹30,000 and ₹1,00,000 are the remaining 66%, which makes 1500 households in all; 16% of 1500 = 240.
- Above ₹1,00,000: 22%. Below ₹30,000: 12%. So ₹30,000–₹1,00,000: 100 − 22 − 12 = 66%.
- 66% = 990 households, so the total = 990 ÷ 0.66 = 1500.
- ₹1,00,000–₹2,00,000: 22% − 6% = 16% (the 22% already includes the 6% above ₹2,00,000).
- 16% of 1500 = 240.
Remember · 'More than X' groups are cumulative; subtract the higher band to get the slab in between before converting to numbers.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·