Next CSE-PPT: 14 March 2027 · Professional & Subprofessional
Civil Service Exam numerical ability reviewer with everyday money and office problems: unit prices, change, utility bills, payroll and overtime, budgets, petty cash, fuel, printing costs and discounts.
Many exam word problems are based on everyday transactions and office tasks: computing change, comparing unit prices, preparing a payroll, dividing a budget, keeping a petty cash fund or estimating fuel for a trip. The figures used here are examples for practice, not official rates.
Every answer in this set was calculated and checked by script. Calculators are not allowed in the Civil Service Exam, so practise each item on paper and look for the shortcut shown in the explanation.
Correct answer: A. ₱650
₱52 × 12 = ₱624 and ₱52 × 0.5 = ₱26, so the total is ₱650. Splitting a decimal quantity into whole and fractional parts makes mental multiplication easier.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. 1 litre for ₱85
Compare the price per litre: ₱85 for 1 L; 500 mL at ₱45 is ₱90 per litre; 1.5 L at ₱135 is ₱90 per litre; 250 mL at ₱24 is ₱96 per litre. The 1-litre bottle has the lowest unit price.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱240.25
Total = ₱125.00 + ₱89.50 + ₱45.25 = ₱259.75. Change = ₱500.00 − ₱259.75 = ₱240.25. Line up the decimal points when adding and subtracting money.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱2,875
250 × ₱11.50 = 250 × ₱11 + 250 × ₱0.50 = ₱2,750 + ₱125 = ₱2,875. The figures here are for practice only; actual electricity rates vary by distributor and month. Breaking ₱11.50 into ₱11 and ₱0.50 makes the multiplication easy.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱480
The first 10 m³ cost ₱200. The remaining 8 m³ cost 8 × ₱35 = ₱280. Total = ₱480. Charging ₱35 for all 18 m³ on top of the minimum is a common error.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. ₱13,420
₱610 × 22 = ₱610 × 20 + ₱610 × 2 = ₱12,200 + ₱1,220 = ₱13,420. The daily rate here is only an example. Splitting 22 into 20 + 2 is a quick way to multiply mentally, and gross pay is the amount before any deductions.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱300
Overtime rate = ₱80 × 1.25 = ₱100 per hour. For 3 hours: ₱300. Using the regular rate gives ₱240, which leaves out the premium.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱125
There are 30 × 4 = 120 participant-days. ₱15,000 ÷ 120 = ₱125 per participant per day. ₱500 is the amount per participant for all 4 days.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. ₱6,000
Total reams = 3 × 8 = 24. Cost = 24 × ₱250 = ₱6,000. Find the total quantity first, then multiply by the unit price. Multiplying ₱250 by 24 is the same as ₱250 × 4 × 6 = ₱1,000 × 6.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱2,000
Instalment total = ₱2,000 + 12 × ₱1,500 = ₱2,000 + ₱18,000 = ₱20,000. That is ₱2,000 more than the cash price. The extra amount is the cost of buying on credit.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱14,000
250 × ₱56 = ₱14,000. A quick method: 250 is a quarter of 1,000, and ₱56,000 ÷ 4 = ₱14,000. The exchange rate here is only an example; actual rates change daily and are published by the BSP.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱16,500
Food = ₱7,500 and transport = ₱6,000, totalling ₱13,500. What remains is ₱30,000 − ₱13,500 = ₱16,500. Note that ₱13,500 is the amount spent, not the amount left.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱1,444.50
Total payments = ₱1,250.00 + ₱875.50 + ₱1,430.00 = ₱3,555.50. Balance = ₱5,000.00 − ₱3,555.50 = ₱1,444.50. Under the imprest system, the fund is later replenished by the total amount paid out, ₱3,555.50, to bring it back to ₱5,000.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. ₱1,625
Fuel needed = 300 ÷ 12 = 25 litres. Cost = 25 × ₱65 = ₱1,625. Fuel prices here are examples only. First find the litres needed by dividing distance by fuel economy, then multiply by the price per litre.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. ₱810
Total pages = 45 × 12 = 540. Cost = 540 × ₱1.50 = ₱810. The option ₱540 is the number of pages, not the cost. Keep track of units: pages first, then pesos.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. ₱13,000
₱250 × 52 = ₱13,000. Using 48 weeks (12 months × 4) gives ₱12,000, which undercounts because a year has 52 weeks. A quick method: ₱250 × 52 = ₱250 × 50 + ₱250 × 2 = ₱12,500 + ₱500.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. ₱575
₱3,450 ÷ 6 = ₱575. Check: ₱575 × 6 = ₱3,450. A quick way to divide: ₱3,000 ÷ 6 = ₱500 and ₱450 ÷ 6 = ₱75, giving ₱575. Splitting the dividend into easy parts works for most divisions.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. 8 hours 30 minutes
Morning: 7:45 to 12:00 = 4 hours 15 minutes. Afternoon: 1:00 to 5:15 = 4 hours 15 minutes. Total = 8 hours 30 minutes. The lunch hour is not counted.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. ₱7,650
Withholding = 10% of ₱8,500 = ₱850. Net = ₱8,500 − ₱850 = ₱7,650. Or compute 90% directly: 0.9 × 8,500 = 7,650. The 10% rate is an example; actual withholding rates depend on tax rules.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. ₱14,820
Order total = 24 × ₱650 = ₱15,600, which is over ₱10,000. Discount = 5% of ₱15,600 = ₱780. Amount paid = ₱15,600 − ₱780 = ₱14,820.
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