UPSC CSE Prelims CSAT (Paper II) previous year questions on Time and Distance (Quantitative Ability), asked from 2011–2026, with answers. There are 27 questions in this post. Attempt each question, then click Show Answer to check.
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1] The speed of a train T is 100 km per hour and the speed of a person P is 4 km per hour. T crosses P in 15 seconds, if P travels along the direction of motion of T. If P travels along the opposite direction of T, then in how much time does T cross P, in seconds, approximately? [2026/20]
(a) 13.51
(b) 13.65
(c) 13.85
(d) 14.05
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 13.85
2] X and Y are two runners who run for the same duration of time on the same circular track. They started running at the same time in the same direction with uniform speeds. When X completed 7 rounds, Y did exactly 5. After completing 5 rounds, Y changed his direction and started running in the opposite direction with speed which is double of his earlier speed. On the other hand, X continued to run with the same speed. They stopped running when X completed exactly 21 rounds. How many times did X and Y meet after they had started and before they finally stopped? [2026/37]
(a) 35
(b) 34
(c) 31
(d) 29
Show Answer
Ans: (a) 35
3] An explosion takes place at a certain distance from an army camp. As soon as the sensor in the camp receives the sound of the explosion, a drone starts flying towards the spot of explosion. The drone clicks a picture from the spot and the camp receives it at the same time. Immediately another drone starts flying to the spot and it also sends a picture as soon as it reaches the spot. The two pictures were received at 5:02 PM and 5:05 PM, respectively. If the speed of the drones is 30 m/s, at what time did the explosion take place? Assume that the speed of sound is 300 m/s. [2026/41]
(a) 4:59:00 PM
(b) 4:59:02 PM
(c) 4:58:42 PM
(d) 4:56:32 PM
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 4:58:42 PM
4] X travels 6 km on a bicycle with average speeds of 5 km per hour, 10 km per hour and 4 km per hour during the first 1 km, the next 2 km and the remaining 3 km, respectively. Y travels the same distances with average speeds of 4 km per hour, 10 km per hour and 5 km per hour, respectively. How many minutes early will Y complete the journey if both X and Y start at the same time? [2026/50]
(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 5
(d) 6
Show Answer
Ans: (d) 6
5] A train has to complete a journey of 800 km. If it meets a minor accident, its speed becomes half of the existing speed. If there is a mechanical defect, the speed becomes one-fourth of the existing speed. On its way, the train meets with a minor accident after 200 km; and 400 km thereafter, it develops a mechanical defect. Had the train developed the mechanical defect after 200 km and met the minor accident 400 km thereafter, it would have taken 4 more hours to reach its destination. What was the original speed of the train in km per hour? [2026/69]
(a) 200
(b) 190
(c) 150
(d) 100
Show Answer
Ans: (a) 200
6] P and Q walk along a circular track. They start at 5:00 a.m. from the same point in opposite directions. P walks at an average speed of 5 rounds per hour and Q walks at an average speed of 3 rounds per hour. How many times will they cross each other between 5:20 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.? [2025/37]
(a) 12
(b) 13
(c) 14
(d) 15
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 13
7] A tram overtakes 2 persons X and Y walking at an average speed of 3 km/hr and 4 km/hr in the same direction and completely passes them in 8 seconds and 9 seconds respectively. What is the length of the tram? [2025/39]
(a) 15 m
(b) 18 m
(c) 20 m
(d) 24 m
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 20 m
8] A man started from home at 14:30 hours and drove to village, arriving there when the village clock indicated 15:15 hours. After staying for 25 minutes, he drove back by a different route of length 1.25 times the first route at a rate twice as fast reaching home at 16:00 hours. As compared to the clock at home, the village clock is [2022/46]
(a) 10 minutes slow
(b) 5 minutes slow
(c) 10 minutes fast
(d) 5 minutes fast
Show Answer
Ans: (d) 5 minutes fast
9] Consider the following statements
1. Between 3:16 p.m. and 3:17 p.m., both hour hand and minute hand coincide.
2. Between 4:58 p.m. and 4:59 p.m., both minute hand and second hand coincide.
Which of the above statements is/are correct? [2022/68]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Ans: (c) Both 1 and 2
10] From January 1, 2021, the price of petrol (in Rupees per litre) on day of the year is 80 + 0.1m, where m = 1, 2, 3, …, 100 and thereafter remains constant. On the other hand, the price of diesel (in Rupees per litre) on day of 2021 is 69 + 0.15n for any n. On which date in the year 2021 are the prices of these two fuels equal? [2021/7]
(a) 21st May
(b) 20th May
(c) 19th May
(d) 18th May
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 20th May
11] A person X from a place A and another person Y from a place B set out at the same time to walk towards each other. The places are separated by a distance of 15 Km. X walks with a uniform speed of 1.5 Km/hr and Y walks with a uniform speed of 1 km/hr in the first hour, with a uniform speed of 1.25 km/hr in the second hour and with a uniform speed of 1.5 km/hr in the third hour and so on.
Which of the following is/are correct?
1. They take 5 hours to meet.
2. They meet midway between A and B.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: [2021/29]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Ans: (c) Both 1 and 2
12] A car travels from a place X to place Y at an average speed of v km/hr, from Y to X at an average speed of 2v km/hr. again from X to Y at an average speed of 3v km/hr and again from Y to X at an average speed of 4v km/hr. Then the average speed of the car for the entire journey. [2020/72]
(a) is less than v km/hr
(b) lies between v and 2v km/hr
(c) lies between 2v and 3v km/hr
(d) lies between 3v and 4v km/hr
Show Answer
Ans: (b) lies between v and 2v km/hr
13] X, Y and Z are three contestants in a race of 1000 m. Assume that all run with different uniform speeds. X gives Y a start of 40 m and X gives Z a start of 64 m. If Y and Z were to compete in a race of 1000 m, how many metres start will Y give to Z? [2019/36]
(a) 20
(b) 25
(c) 30
(d) 35
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 25
14] The figure drawn below gives the velocity graphs of two vehicles A and B. The straight line OKP represents the velocity of vehicle A at any instant, whereas the horizontal straight-line CKD represents the velocity of vehicle B at any Instant. In the figure, D is the point where perpendicular from P meets the horizontal line CKD such that PD= LD:
What is the ratio between the distances covered by vehicles A and B in the time interval OL? [2018/5]
(a) 1: 2
(b) 2: 3
(c) 3: 4
(d) 1: 1
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 3: 4
15] A train 200 metres long is moving at the rate of 40 kmph. In how many seconds will it cross a man standing near the railway line? [2018/6]
(a) 12
(b) 15
(c) 16
(d) 18
Show Answer
Ans: (d) 18
16] A freight train left Delhi for Mumbai at an average speed of 40 km/hr. Two hours later, an express train left Delhi for Mumbai, following the freight train on a parallel track at an average speed of 60 km/hr. How far from Delhi would the express train meet the freight train? [2017/39]
(a) 480 km
(b) 260 km
(c) 240 km
(d) 120 km
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 240 km
17] A daily train is to be introduced between station A and station B starting from each end at 6 AM and the journey is to be completed in 42 hours. What is the number of trains needed in order to maintain the Shuttle Service? [2016/38]
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 7
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 4
18] In a 500 metres race, B starts 45 metres ahead of A, but A wins the race while B is still 35 metres behind. What is the ratio of the speeds of A to B assuming that both start at the same time? [2015/34]
(a) 25 : 21
(b) 25 : 20
(c) 5 : 3
(d) 5 : 7
Show Answer
Ans: (a) 25 : 21
19] Two cities A and B are 360 km apart. A car goes from A to B with a speed of 40 km/hr and returns to A with a speed of 60 km/hr. What is the average speed of the car? [2015/71]
(a) 45 km/hr
(b) 48 km/hr
(c) 50 km/hr
(d) 55 km/hr
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 48 km/hr
20] A worker reaches his factory 3 minutes late if his speed from his house to the factory is 5 km/hr. If he walks at a speed of 6 km/hr, then he reaches the factory 7 minutes early. The distance of the factory from his house is [2014/50]
(a) 3 km
(b) 4 km
(c) 5 km
(d) 6 km
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 5 km
21] Two cars start towards each other, from two places A and B which are at a distance of 160 km. They Start at the same time 08: 10 AM. If the speeds of the cars are 50 km and 30 km per hour respectively, they will meet each other at [2014/69]
(a) 10: 10 AM
(b) 10 : 30 AM
(c) 11 : 10 AM
(d) 11 : 20 AM
Show Answer
Ans: (a) 10: 10 AM
22] A thief running at 8 km/hr is chased by a policeman whose speed is 10 km/hr. If the thief is 100 m ahead of the policeman, then the time required for the policeman to catch the thief will be [2013/35]
(a) 2 min
(b) 3 min
(c) 4 min
(d) 6 min
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 3 min
23] A train travels at a certain average speed for a distance of 63 km and then travels a distance of 72 km at an average speed of 6 km/hr more than its original speed. If it takes 3 hours to complete the total journey, what is the original speed of the train in km/hr? [2013/36]
(a) 24
(b) 33
(c) 42
(d) 66
Show Answer
Ans: (c) 42
24] A person can walk a certain distance and drive back in six hours. He can also walk both ways in 10 hours. How much time will he take to drive both ways? [2013/66]
(a) Two hours
(b) Two and a half hours
(c) Five and a half hours
(d) Four hours
Show Answer
Ans: (a) Two hours
25] Mr. Kumar drives to work at an average speed of 48km/hr. The time taken to cover the first 60% of the distance is 10 minutes more than the time taken to cover the remaining distance. How far is his office? [2012/24]
(a) 30 km
(b) 40 km
(c) 45 km
(d) 48 km
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 40 km
26] Three persons start walking together and their steps measure 40 cm, 42 cm and 45 cm respectively. What is the minimum distance each should walk so that each can cover the same distance in complete steps? [2011/40]
(a) 25 m 20 cm
(b) 50 m 40 cm
(c) 75 m 60 cm
(d) 100 m 80 cm
Show Answer
Ans: (a) 25 m 20 cm
27] If a bus travels 160 km in 4 hours and a train travels 320 km in 5 hours at uniform speeds, then what is the ratio of the distances travelled by them in one hour? [2011/41]
(a) 8 : 5
(b) 5 : 8
(c) 4 : 5
(d) 1 : 2
Show Answer
Ans: (b) 5 : 8
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