RRB NTPC Mathematics: questions, weightage & strategy
RRB NTPC Mathematics is 30 questions of straightforward arithmetic — easier than SSC CGL's Quant, with a more generous clock. That makes it the section where accuracy, not difficulty, decides your score.
| Exam | RRB NTPC |
|---|---|
| Section | Mathematics |
| Weightage | 30 questions · 30 marks in CBT-1 |
| Paper pattern | CBT-1: 100 questions / 90 minutes · one-third negative marking |
What actually scores in RRB NTPC Mathematics
Number system, percentage, ratio, average, profit-loss, time-work, time-speed-distance, simple and compound interest. Advanced topics appear rarely compared with SSC.
90 minutes for 100 questions is roughly 54 seconds each. Unlike SSC, you can afford to verify a calculation. With one-third negative marking, checking beats guessing.
Many NTPC maths questions are answerable by substituting options rather than solving forward — faster and less error-prone under pressure.
High-yield topics
- ✓Number system, LCM & HCF, simplification
- ✓Percentage, profit & loss, discount
- ✓Ratio & proportion, averages, partnership
- ✓Time & work, time-speed-distance
- ✓Simple & compound interest, mensuration basics
5 Mathematics questions to try now
These are original practice questions written in the RRB NTPC style — not official previous-year papers. For the real papers as published, download the official PDFs.
The LCM of two numbers is 120 and their HCF is 10. If one number is 40, the other is:
Why: Product of two numbers = LCM × HCF = 120 × 10 = 1200. The other number = 1200 ÷ 40 = 30.
A train 150 m long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. Its speed is:
Why: Crossing a pole means covering its own length: 150 ÷ 15 = 10 m/s. Converting, 10 × 18/5 = 36 km/h.
An article bought for ₹450 is sold for ₹540. The profit percentage is:
Why: Profit = 540 − 450 = ₹90. Profit% = 90/450 × 100 = 20%. Profit percentage is always on cost price unless stated otherwise.
If A : B = 2 : 3 and B : C = 4 : 5, then A : C is:
Why: Make B common: A : B = 8 : 12 and B : C = 12 : 15. Therefore A : C = 8 : 15.
The compound interest on ₹10,000 at 10% per annum for 2 years is:
Why: Amount = 10000 × (1.1)² = ₹12,100, so CI = ₹2,100. Simple interest would be ₹2,000 — the ₹100 gap is interest on interest.
Other RRB NTPC sections
RRB NTPC Mathematics — FAQ
30 questions out of 100, alongside 40 General Awareness and 30 Reasoning, in a 90-minute paper.