Multi-step Word Problems
41 Class 6 IMO Mathematics Olympiad practice questions on multi-step word problems, part of the Arithmetic topic area. Every question below includes the correct answer and a full explanation.
Practice this topic interactively →1. A shopkeeper has 240 apples. He packs them equally into 12 boxes. How many apples are in each box?
- A.18
- B.20
- C.22
- D.24
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Answer: B. 20
240 ÷ 12 = 20.
2. What is the total of 16, 48, 12, 38, 48?
- A.172
- B.162
- C.157
- D.167
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Answer: B. 162
16+48+12+38+48 = 162.
3. A book costs ₹120 more than a pen. If the pen costs ₹35, what is the total cost of both?
- A.180
- B.185
- C.190
- D.195
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Answer: C. 190
The book costs 35+120=₹155. Total = 35+155 = ₹190.
4. 36 sweets are shared equally among 6 children, and then each child gives 2 sweets to charity. How many sweets does each child have left?
- A.2
- B.3
- C.4
- D.5
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Answer: C. 4
36÷6=6 sweets each. After giving away 2, each has 6−2=4 left.
5. What is the average of 19, 17, 29, 21?
- A.21.5
- B.23.5
- C.20.5
- D.22.5
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Answer: A. 21.5
(19+17+29+21) ÷ 4 = 21.5.
6. What is the average of 20, 23, 15, 16?
- A.18.5
- B.19.5
- C.20.5
- D.17.5
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Answer: A. 18.5
(20+23+15+16) ÷ 4 = 18.5.
7. What is the average of 27, 21, 12, 22?
- A.21.5
- B.20.5
- C.22.5
- D.19.5
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Answer: B. 20.5
(27+21+12+22) ÷ 4 = 20.5.
8. What is the average of 29, 27, 20, 29?
- A.28.25
- B.27.25
- C.25.25
- D.26.25
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Answer: D. 26.25
(29+27+20+29) ÷ 4 = 26.25.
9. What is the average of 21, 27, 30, 21?
- A.23.75
- B.24.75
- C.25.75
- D.26.75
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Answer: B. 24.75
(21+27+30+21) ÷ 4 = 24.75.
10. What is the average of 12, 27, 16, 28?
- A.19.75
- B.20.75
- C.22.75
- D.21.75
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Answer: B. 20.75
(12+27+16+28) ÷ 4 = 20.75.
11. What is the average of 21, 17, 28, 20?
- A.20.5
- B.21.5
- C.23.5
- D.22.5
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Answer: B. 21.5
(21+17+28+20) ÷ 4 = 21.5.
12. What is the total of 15, 44, 18, 32, 17?
- A.131
- B.126
- C.121
- D.136
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Answer: B. 126
15+44+18+32+17 = 126.
13. What is the total of 32, 20, 18, 44, 41?
- A.160
- B.165
- C.150
- D.155
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Answer: D. 155
32+20+18+44+41 = 155.
14. What is the total of 44, 28, 11, 42, 37?
- A.167
- B.157
- C.172
- D.162
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Answer: D. 162
44+28+11+42+37 = 162.
15. The average of 12, 17, 19, 22 and x is 18. Find x.
- A.18
- B.20
- C.22
- D.24
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Answer: B. 20
Sum needed = 5×18 = 90. Known sum = 12+17+19+22 = 70. x = 90−70 = 20.
16. Which expression has the greatest value?
- A.48 ÷ 6 + 5
- B.48 ÷ (6 + 2)
- C.(48 ÷ 6) × 5
- D.48 ÷ (6 × 5)
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Answer: C. (48 ÷ 6) × 5
48÷6+5=13. 48÷8=6. (48÷6)×5=40. 48÷30=1.6. The greatest is 40.
17. The first four multiples of 7 are 7, 14, 21 and 28. What is their average?
- A.14
- B.16
- C.17.5
- D.21
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Answer: C. 17.5
(7+14+21+28) ÷ 4 = 70 ÷ 4 = 17.5.
18. A student scored 72, 81, 69 and 78 in four tests. What score must she get in the fifth test to have an average of 75?
- A.70
- B.72
- C.75
- D.78
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Answer: C. 75
Sum needed = 5×75 = 375. Current sum = 300. Fifth score = 75.
19. Ravi buys 3 notebooks at ₹25 each and 2 pens at ₹10 each. How much does he spend in total?
- A.85
- B.90
- C.95
- D.100
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Answer: C. 95
3×25=75 and 2×10=20. Total = 75+20 = ₹95.
20. A number is multiplied by 4 and then 10 is subtracted, giving 30. Find the number.
- A.8
- B.9
- C.10
- D.11
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Answer: C. 10
Reverse the steps: 30+10=40, then 40÷4=10.
21. The sum of three consecutive numbers is 96. Find the largest number.
- A.31
- B.32
- C.33
- D.34
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Answer: C. 33
Let the numbers be x, x+1, x+2. Their sum 3x+3=96 gives x=31, so the largest is 33.
22. A father is 24 years older than his son. If the son is 9 years old, how old will the father be in 6 years?
- A.35
- B.37
- C.39
- D.41
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Answer: C. 39
The father is 9+24=33 now. In 6 years he will be 33+6=39.
23. A bus has 45 seats. On a trip, 32 seats are occupied at the start. At the next stop, 9 more passengers board and 5 get off. How many passengers are on the bus now?
- A.34
- B.35
- C.36
- D.38
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Answer: C. 36
32+9−5 = 36.
24. A shopkeeper had 150 kg of rice. He sold 45 kg in the morning and 38 kg in the evening. How much rice is left?
- A.63
- B.65
- C.67
- D.70
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Answer: C. 67
150−45−38 = 67 kg.
25. A tank loses 5 litres of water every hour due to a leak. If it starts with 200 litres, how much water remains after 8 hours?
- A.150
- B.155
- C.160
- D.165
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Answer: C. 160
Water lost in 8 hours = 5×8=40 litres. Remaining = 200−40 = 160 litres.
26. What is the average of 25, 28, 14, 17?
- A.21.0
- B.23.0
- C.22.0
- D.20.0
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Answer: A. 21.0
(25+28+14+17) ÷ 4 = 21.0.
27. What is the average of 24, 19, 16, 22?
- A.19.25
- B.21.25
- C.22.25
- D.20.25
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Answer: D. 20.25
(24+19+16+22) ÷ 4 = 20.25.
28. What is the average of 22, 24, 21, 27?
- A.22.5
- B.23.5
- C.25.5
- D.24.5
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Answer: B. 23.5
(22+24+21+27) ÷ 4 = 23.5.
29. What is the average of 29, 11, 26, 19?
- A.20.25
- B.22.25
- C.23.25
- D.21.25
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Answer: D. 21.25
(29+11+26+19) ÷ 4 = 21.25.
30. What is the average of 22, 23, 13, 20?
- A.19.5
- B.20.5
- C.21.5
- D.18.5
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Answer: A. 19.5
(22+23+13+20) ÷ 4 = 19.5.
31. What is the average of 14, 25, 17, 13?
- A.19.25
- B.18.25
- C.17.25
- D.16.25
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Answer: C. 17.25
(14+25+17+13) ÷ 4 = 17.25.
32. What is the total of 42, 41, 39, 16, 40?
- A.178
- B.173
- C.188
- D.183
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Answer: A. 178
42+41+39+16+40 = 178.
33. The cost of 5 chairs and 3 tables is ₹1900. If each table costs ₹300, what is the cost of each chair?
- A.150
- B.180
- C.200
- D.220
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Answer: C. 200
3 tables cost 3×300=900. The remaining 1900−900=1000 is for 5 chairs, so each costs 1000÷5=₹200.
34. Sita has some money. She spends 1/3 of it on a toy and ₹40 on a book, and is left with ₹60. How much money did she start with?
- A.130
- B.140
- C.150
- D.160
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Answer: C. 150
Let the total be T. T − (T/3 + 40) = 60, so 2T/3 = 100, giving T = 150.
35. What is the average of 18, 29, 30, 28?
- A.26.25
- B.28.25
- C.27.25
- D.25.25
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Answer: A. 26.25
(18+29+30+28) ÷ 4 = 26.25.
36. What is the average of 14, 27, 11, 28?
- A.21.0
- B.20.0
- C.22.0
- D.19.0
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Answer: B. 20.0
(14+27+11+28) ÷ 4 = 20.0.
37. What is the total of 40, 30, 25, 10, 26?
- A.131
- B.126
- C.141
- D.136
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Answer: A. 131
40+30+25+10+26 = 131.
38. What is the total of 19, 39, 48, 33, 36?
- A.185
- B.170
- C.175
- D.180
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Answer: C. 175
19+39+48+33+36 = 175.
39. What is the total of 42, 36, 39, 46, 13?
- A.181
- B.176
- C.186
- D.171
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Answer: B. 176
42+36+39+46+13 = 176.
40. What is the total of 13, 32, 34, 43, 30?
- A.147
- B.157
- C.152
- D.162
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Answer: C. 152
13+32+34+43+30 = 152.
41. What is the total of 15, 44, 22, 13, 27?
- A.126
- B.116
- C.131
- D.121
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Answer: D. 121
15+44+22+13+27 = 121.