P scored 40 marks more than Q in an examination. If Q scored 10% less marks than P, then how much did Q score?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 360
Q's score is 10% below P's, so the 40-mark gap is 10% of P's score. P scored 400 and Q scored 360.
- Q scored 10% less than P, so the gap of 40 marks is 10% of P's marks.
- P = 40 ÷ 0.10 = 400.
- Q = 400 − 40 = 360.
- Check: 360 is 90% of 400.
Remember · 'x% less than P' means the difference is x% of P — use it to find P first.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·