24 पुरुष और 12 महिलाएँ एक काम को 30 दिनों में पूरा कर सकते हैं। 12 पुरुष और 24 महिलाएँ उसी काम को कितने दिनों में पूरा करेंगे?
Read this question in English
24 men and 12 women can do a piece of work in 30 days. In how many days can 12 men and 24 women do the same piece of work?
(a) 30 days · (b) More than 30 days · (c) Less than 30 days or more than 30 days · (d) Data is inadequate to draw any conclusion
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (d) कोई निष्कर्ष निकालने के लिए आँकड़े अपर्याप्त हैं
The answer depends on how a man’s work rate compares with a woman’s, and that is not given. Equal rates give exactly 30 days, faster men give more than 30 and faster women fewer — so the data are inadequate.
- Let a man do m units and a woman w units of work a day. Work = 30 × (24m + 12w).
- Days for 12 men and 24 women = 30(24m + 12w)/(12m + 24w) = 30(2m + w)/(m + 2w).
- If m = w this is 30 days; if m > w it is more than 30; if m < w it is less than 30.
- The relation between m and w is not given, so no conclusion can be drawn. Option (c) fails because it leaves out the possibility of exactly 30 days.
Remember · In time-and-work items with two kinds of workers, you need their relative efficiency before you can swap one for the other.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·