Important IPMAT Time and Work Questions with Solutions

Overview: Surprising insights from exam analysis reveal that IPMAT time and work questions challenge even top candidates. Explore key strategies and expert tips to solve these problems quickly, improve efficiency, and gain an edge in your preparation.

The Time and Work Questions form a significant part of the quantitative section of the Integrated Program in Management Aptitude Test (IPMAT), conducted by IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak.

These questions challenge candidates to calculate the time required to complete tasks by individuals or groups working at different rates.

The time and work questions assess students' understanding of work rate, efficiency, and collaborative efforts.

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Overview of IPMAT Time and Work Questions

Time and work problems are a prominent part of the Quantitative Ability section of the 2025 IPMAT exam.

The questions test students' skills in solving day-to-day work problems, such as the time it takes for people or machines to do a job and calculating workers' efficiency while working together.

One to two questions are usually in the exam, so the subject is crucial for the candidates.

To perform well in IPMAT Time and Work questions, students must understand basic mathematical operations such as addition, division, and ratio calculations.

The questions also require logical reasoning to comprehend how different workers, pipes, or machines work together to finish a specific job within a time frame.

For IPMAT 2025 candidates, this topic is a must-master as it is part of the general Arithmetic syllabus, which is often used in competitive exams.

The best approach is systematic learning, consistent practice, and exposure to different questions.

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Sample IPMAT Time and Work Questions with Solutions

Let's review a few typical Time and Work Questions and detailed solutions to help you understand the tricks to solve the questions.

Q1. A man rows 13 km upstream and 28 km downstream in 5 hours each. The velocity of the stream is:

• (a) 2 km/hr
• (b) 4 km/hr
• (c) 1.5 km/hr
• (d) 3 km/hr

Answer: C

Q2. A can do some work in 8 days, which B alone can do in 10 days. For how long can both cooperating do it?

• (a) 40/9 days
• (b) 41/9 days
• (c) 42/9 days
• (d) 43/9 days

Answer: A

Q3. A can do some work in 25 days, while B can complete it in 20 days. Together, both labour for 5 days, and afterwards, A leaves off. How long will it take B to complete the remaining work?

• (a) 7 days
• (b) 8 days
• (c) 9 days
• (d) 11 days

Answer: D

Read: IPMAT Aptitude Trailing Zeroes Questions with Answers

Q4. A and B work separately for 15 hours and 12 hours, respectively. Another man, C, can destroy the work in 4 hours if they start working at 8 am, 9 am, and 11 am, respectively. At what time will the total work be destroyed?

• (a) 11 am
• (b) 12 pm
• (c) 2:40 pm
• (d) 3:20pm

Answer: C

Read: How to Solve Algebra Questions for IPMAT Exam 2025

Q5. If 6 men and 8 boys can do a piece of work in 10 days while 26 men and 48 boys can do the same in 2 days, what do 15 men and 20 boys take the time?

• (a) 4 days
• (b) 6days
• (c) 7 days
• (d) 5 days

Answer: A

Q6. A tank is filled in 5 hours by three pipes A, B and C. Pipe C is twice as fast as B, and B is twice as fast as A. How much time will pipe A alone take to fill the tank?

• (a) 20 hours
• (b) 25 hours
• (c) 35 hours
• (d) Cannot be determined

Answer: C

Q7. A takes three times as long as B and C to do a job together. B takes four times as long as A and C together to do the same work, If all three, working together can complete the job in 24 days, then the number of days, A alone will take to finish the job is?

Answer: 96 days

Q8. A, B and C can do a piece of work in 16, 32 and 48 days, respectively; they start working together, but C leaves after working 4 days, and B 2 days before the completion of work. Find how many days the work was finished.

Answer: 10.44 days

Q9. Three pipes A, B, and C are connected to a tank. Out of the three, A and B are the inlet pipes, and C is the outlet pipe. If opened separately, A fills the tank in 10 hours, B fills the tank in 12 hours, and C empties the tank in 30 hours. How long does it take to fill / empty the tank if all three are opened simultaneously?

Answer: 6.67 hours

Read: Quantitative Aptitude Questions for BBA Entrance Exam 2025

Additional IPMAT Time and Work Questions with Solutions

Q10. A can complete a task in 10 days, and B can complete it in 15 days. How many days will it take them to complete the work together?

• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

Answer: 6 days

Q11. A pipe can fill a tank in 12 hours, while another pipe can empty it in 18 hours. How long will it take to fill the tank if both pipes are opened together?

• 24
• 30
• 36
• 42

Answer: 36 hours

Q12. A and B together can complete a task in 8 days. If A alone takes 12 days, how many days will B take alone?

• 16
• 20
• 24
• 28

Answer: 24 days

Q13. A can do a piece of work in 16 days. B is 50% more efficient than A. In how many days can B complete the same work?

• 10.67
• 11.5
• 12
• 13.33

Answer: 10.67 days

Q14. If 4 men can complete a work in 12 days, how many days will 6 men take to complete the same work?

• 6
• 8
• 10
• 12

Answer: 8 days

Q15. Two pipes can fill a tank in 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. How long will it take to fill the tank if both are opened together?

• 10
• 12
• 15
• 18

Answer: 12 minutes

Q16. A contractor hires 8 workers to finish a project in 24 days. How many more workers should he hire to complete it in 16 days?

• 2
• 4
• 6
• 8

Answer: 4 workers

Q17. A does half of a work in 6 days. B alone can complete the entire work in 9 days. In how many days will A and B complete the work together?

• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6

Answer: 4 days

Q18. A group of workers can complete a task in 15 days. If 5 more workers join them, they can complete it in 10 days. How many workers were in the original group?

• 8
• 9
• 10
• 12

Answer: 10 workers

Q19. A can do a job in 30 days, B in 40 days, and C in 60 days. How many days will they take together to complete the job?

• 8
• 9
• 10
• 12

Answer: 10 days

Q20. A can complete a piece of work in 20 days, and B can complete the same work in 30 days. Working together, in how many days will they finish the work?

• 10
• 12
• 15
• 18

Answer: 12 days

Read: IPMAT Previous Year Question Papers With Solution 

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Key Concepts in IPMAT Time and Work Questions 2025

To excel in Time and Work Questions, candidates need a solid understanding of several fundamental concepts from the syllabus:

1. Work Rate: The work rate is the fraction of the task completed per unit of time. For example, if a person can finish a task in 5 days, their work rate is 51 per day.
2. Combined Work Rate: When two or more individuals work together, their combined work rate is the sum of their rates. This concept is critical for solving Time and work questions for IPMAT that involve team efforts.
3. Efficiency: Efficiency measures how quickly a worker completes a task. The more efficient a worker is, the faster they complete the task. Understanding this concept is crucial for solving the more complex IPMAT questions from time and work.

Tips for Excelling in IPMAT Time and Work Questions 2025

To master Time and Work Questions, keep these IPMAT preparation tips in mind:

1. Understand Unit Work: Always convert the work done by each person into fractions of the whole task. This is key to solving IPMAT Time and Work Questions involving multiple workers or machines.
2. Practice with Real-Life Scenarios: Many questions involve real-life applications, such as pipes filling or emptying tanks or workers completing tasks at different speeds. Practice with these types of problems to improve your understanding.
3. Solve Complex Questions Carefully: Some questions involve work destruction (like a pipe emptying a tank). In these cases, you'll need to subtract the rate of destruction from the total work rate.
4. Work Efficiently: Efficiency significantly affects the time and work required for the IPMAT exam. The faster a worker completes a task, the more efficient they are. Use efficiency ratios to solve questions involving workers with different speeds.

IPMAT Time and Work Questions are a critical component of the IPMAT exam. These questions require a deep understanding of the relationship between time, work, and efficiency.

By mastering the key concepts and practicing a wide range of problems, you can significantly improve your chances of scoring well on this exam section.

Keep practicing with different variations of IPMAT Time and Work Questions to sharpen your problem-solving skills and enhance your speed during the test.

Mastering these questions will give you a distinct edge in the quantitative section of the IPMAT.

Check: IPMAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus 2025

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Key Takeaways:

• Master Work Rate Calculation: Understanding how to calculate individual and combined work rates is crucial for efficiently solving IPMAT Time and Work Questions.
• Combine Work Rates for Multiple Workers: When multiple workers or machines are involved, their work rates are added to find the total time to complete a task.
• Efficiency Matters: Comparing efficiency is key in these questions, especially when different workers have varying speeds.
• Understand Pipes and Cisterns Problems: These are variations in Time and Work Questions involving the filling or emptying of tanks and require a unique approach.
• Practice Regularly: Consistent practice with different question types, including solving IPMAT previous year question papers, will enhance your ability to solve IPMAT Time and Work Questions quickly and accurately.

Read: Important Topics for IPMAT 2025 Preparation