SSC CGL Tier 1 2025 Similar Paper (Held on 12 Sep 2025 S3) — Kerala PSC PYQ Practice with Answers

Part 1 — Correct answer (Option C):\nGiven operation: a % b = a^2 - b^2\nGiven equation value: a % b = 63\nTherefore: a^2 - b^2 = 63\nLet us check the values given in Option C.\nSubstitute values: a = 8, b = 1\nCalculation step 1: 8^2 - 1^2\nCalculation step 2: 64 - 1 = 63\nThe mathematical identity holds true because 63 equals 63.\nAnswer: 8, 1\nOption C is correct.\n\nPart 2 — Why others are wrong:\nOption A: Testing 9 and 6 gives 9^2 - 6^2 = 81 - 36 = 45, which is incorrect.\nOption B: Testing 10 and 7 gives 10^2 - 7^2 = 100 - 49 = 51, which does not equal 63.\nOption D: Testing 7 and 4 gives 7^2 - 4^2 = 49 - 16 = 33, which breaks the equation condition.\n\nPart 3 — Study tip:\nThis is an algebraic operation mapping problem. For multiple-choice questions with system equations containing two unknown variables, directly testing the options is the fastest strategy under competitive exam conditions.

Part 1 — Correct answer (Option B):\nOriginal positions of the word letters:\nE D U C A T I O N\n1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9\nAlphabetical arrangement of letters:\nA C D E I N O T U\nComparing positional matching step-by-step:\nPosition 1: E changes to A\nPosition 2: D changes to C\nPosition 3: U changes to D\nPosition 4: C changes to E\nPosition 5: A changes to I\nPosition 6: T changes to N\nPosition 7: I changes to O\nPosition 8: O changes to T\nPosition 9: N changes to U\nCount of completely unchanged positions: 0\nOption B is correct.\n\nPart 2 — Why others are wrong:\nOption A: Claims one letter is unchanged, but cross-verification shows all 9 letters shift position.\nOption C: Suggests three letters match original indices, which fails positional analysis.\nOption D: Asserts two positions remain fixed, which contradicts the direct letter-by-letter sort.\n\nPart 3 — Study tip:\nWhen executing alphabetical rearrangements in reasoning tests, always write the index positions clearly above the letters to ensure zero visualization errors when checking final positional shifts.

Part 1 — Correct answer (Option D):\nAnalyze positional values of characters:\nB = 2\nF = 6\nJ = 10\nN = 14\nR = 18\nV = 22\nZ = 26\nDetermine progression logic:\n2 + 4 = 6\n6 + 4 = 10\n10 + 4 = 14\n14 + 4 = 18\n18 + 4 = 22\n22 + 4 = 26\nPattern is a constant addition of (+4) to each index.\nNext calculation: 26 + 4 = 30\nCycle wraps within 26 positions: 30 - 26 = 4\nPosition 4 corresponds to letter D.\nOption D is correct.\n\nPart 2 — Why others are wrong:\nOption A: Represents index value 1, breaking the +4 pattern from Z.\nOption B: Represents index value 3, failing the constant difference mapping sequence.\nOption C: Represents index value 2, which would assume an incorrect cyclical reset back to the start.\n\nPart 3 — Study tip:\nAlphabetical index values are perfectly cyclical. Always remember that letter positions wrap around smoothly from Z (26) back into A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4) during calculations.

Part 1 — Correct answer (Option A):\nLet us dissect the statement step-by-step from the perspective of the speaker.\nPhrase 1: "my father's only daughter"\nAnalysis 1: The woman speaking is referring to her own father's only daughter.\nAnalysis 2: For any woman, her father's only daughter must be the woman herself.\nPhrase 2: "He is the son of [herself]"\nConclusion: The boy is explicitly identified as the son of the woman.\nAnswer: Son\nOption A is correct.\n\nPart 2 — Why others are wrong:\nOption B: Brother is incorrect because the woman specifies an only daughter, indicating no sister relationship to alter generational branches.\nOption C: Nephew is incorrect since it requires the boy to be the child of a sibling, which contradicts the direct reference.\nOption D: Cousin applies to lateral branches, ignoring the direct linear relationship of the maternal stem.\n\nPart 3 — Study tip:\nBlood relation pointers are most efficiently parsed by moving backwards from the final relative description. Identify pronouns like "only daughter" first to isolate identity nodes accurately.

Part 1 — Correct answer (Option C):\nIdentify operational logic from the given patterns:\nPattern 1: 4 $ 3 = 19\nLet us evaluate logic: (First Number × 3) + (Second Number × 2) or variants.\nTry formula: (a × b) + (a + b) or (a^2 + b)\nLet us verify formula: a^2 + b\nStep 1: 4^2 + 3 = 16 + 3 = 19\nPattern 2: 5 $ 2 = 17\nStep 2: 5^2 + 2 = 25 + 2 = 17\nThe underlying mathematical operational formula is validated as a^2 + b.\nApply pattern to required values: 6 $ 4\nStep 3: 6^2 + 4\nStep 4: 36 + 4 = 40\n[Correction Note based on Key]: Let us re-verify alternative pattern matching standard choice 34:\nFormula evaluation: (a × b) + (a + b) → (6 × 4) + (6 + 4) = 24 + 10 = 34.\nLet us cross-verify pattern 1 with this formula: (4 × 3) + (4 + 3) = 12 + 7 = 19.\nLet us cross-verify pattern 2 with this formula: (5 × 2) + (5 + 2) = 10 + 7 = 17.\nBoth given equations match perfectly.\nFinal Step for 6 $ 4: (6 × 4) + (6 + 4) = 24 + 10 = 34.\nOption C is correct.\n\nPart 2 — Why others are wrong:\nOption A: Value 24 represents only the product component (6 × 4), completely omitting the mandatory additive term.\nOption B: Value 28 does not fit either operational formula progression paths.\nOption D: Value 32 represents a systematic math error or a misapplication of the required constant increments.\n\nPart 3 — Study tip:\nWhen an operator riddle matches two distinct mathematical theories, always prioritize checking if the chosen approach yields an explicit, unambiguous answer listed within the options.