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Time and Work Questions and Answers

Time and Work is a high-scoring and frequently asked topic in Quantitative Aptitude for competitive exams such as SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO, SBI Clerk, RRB NTPC, and other banking and government job examinations. This topic deals with calculating how long it takes one or more people or machines to complete a given task, based on their individual work rates or efficiencies. The basic concept is that if a person can complete a piece of work in n days, their one-day work equals 1/n, and when multiple people work together, their combined one-day work is the sum of their individual one-day work rates. A strong understanding of time and work concepts is important because this topic is closely related to Time, Speed and Distance and Pipes and Cisterns problems. This topic page offers a detailed collection of time and work questions with step-by-step solutions designed to help aspirants build both speed and accuracy. The practice questions cover important variations such as work and efficiency problems, men-days-hours calculations, alternate day work patterns, work sharing and wages problems, and pipes and cisterns questions that use the same underlying concepts. Each question includes a clear explanation along with the LCM method and efficiency-based shortcut tricks that make solving time and work problems significantly faster during the exam. Aspirants preparing for SSC, banking, and railway exams often find time and work questions difficult when multiple people or machines with different efficiencies are involved, or when work is left incomplete and needs to be completed by another group. Our practice set addresses these challenges through clear worked examples, the LCM shortcut method for assuming total work, and formula-based approaches for combined work rates. Regular practice with these questions will strengthen your overall Quantitative Aptitude preparation and help you solve work and efficiency problems more confidently. Whether you are a beginner starting your exam preparation or an experienced aspirant sharpening your speed, this time and work question bank is designed to support learners at every level. Practice consistently, apply the shortcut methods provided, and use them to solve time and work questions accurately and quickly in your upcoming SSC, banking, railway, and other competitive government examinations.

Exams Covered:

SSC CGL
SSC CHSL
SSC MTS
IBPS PO
IBPS Clerk
RRB NTPC
UPSC
State Exams
& More

Solve this Time and Work question: A contractor estimates that 24 workers can complete a community centre in 40 days. The deadline is shortened to 24 days. How many additional workers of equal efficiency must be hired from the beginning?

Solve this Time and Work question: Twenty workers can complete a drainage project in 36 days. After working for 12 days, 5 workers leave the site. How many additional days will the remaining workers take to finish the project?

Solve this Time and Work question: A team of 18 workers completes a road survey in 30 days by working 8 hours daily. If the same team works 10 hours daily at the same hourly efficiency, in how many days will it finish the survey?

Solve this Time and Work question: Ravi and Mohan work for the same number of days, and their efficiency ratio is 3:5. If they receive ₹9,600 together, what amount should Mohan receive?

Solve this Time and Work question: Anil can prepare a report in 12 days and Sunil can prepare the same report in 18 days. If they work together from the beginning, how many days will they take to complete it?

Solve this Time and Work question: 15 identical machines working 6 hours daily for 20 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 25 units in 25 days while working 10 hours daily?

Solve this Time and Work question: 12 identical machines working 7 hours daily for 18 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 21 days while working 9 hours daily?

Solve this Time and Work question: 10 identical machines working 9 hours daily for 15 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 20 days while working 9 hours daily?

Solve this Time and Work question: 8 identical machines working 6 hours daily for 12 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 15 units in 18 days while working 8 hours daily?

Solve this Time and Work question: 6 identical machines working 8 hours daily for 10 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 20 days while working 12 hours daily?

FAQ

Time & Work FAQs

Common questions and clear answers for this topic.

What is Time and Work and what is the basic concept?

Time and Work problems involve finding how long it takes to complete a task. Basic concept: If A can do a work in n days, A's one day work = 1/n. If A and B together can do work in n days, combined one day work = 1/n. Key formula: Total Work = Efficiency x Time. Time and Work is a major topic in SSC CGL, IBPS Bank PO, SBI PO, CAT, and Railway exams.

How to solve Time and Work problems using LCM method?

LCM Method: Assume total work = LCM of given days. Calculate each person's work per day = Total work divided by Days. Combined work per day = Sum of individual work rates. Time = Total work divided by Combined rate. Example: A can do work in 10 days, B in 15 days. LCM(10,15) = 30 units. A's daily work = 3 units, B's = 2 units. Together = 5 units/day. Time = 30/5 = 6 days. This avoids fractions and is much faster.

How to solve problems when people join or leave work midway?

When worker joins midway: Find work done before and after they join. If A works for x days and B joins for y days, Total work = A's work in x days + (A+B)'s work in y days. Example: A alone in 20 days. If A works 6 days then B joins, to find when work completes: A's 6 days work = 6/20 = 3/10. Remaining = 7/10. If A+B together rate = 1/12, days to finish = (7/10)/(1/12) = 8.4 days.

What are Pipes and Cistern problems in Time and Work?

Pipes and Cistern: Inlet pipe fills cistern (positive), Outlet pipe empties cistern (negative). If inlet fills in x hours, rate = 1/x per hour. If outlet empties in y hours, rate = 1/y per hour. Net rate = 1/x - 1/y. Time to fill = xy/(y-x) hours if y > x. Cistern fills if net rate is positive. These problems are standard in IBPS, SBI, and SSC competitive exams.

What is work equivalence and efficiency in Time and Work problems?

Work Equivalence: Men x Days = Women x Days (when efficiency ratio is known). If 1 man = 2 women in efficiency, then 10 men = 20 women. Men-Days concept: 10 men x 5 days = 50 man-days. If 8 men do same work, days = 50/8 = 6.25 days. For wages: divide total payment in ratio of work done. If A and B complete work together and A worked fewer days, calculate individual shares accordingly.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: A contractor estimates that 24 workers can complete a community centre in 40 days. The deadline is shortened to 24 days. How many additional workers of equal efficiency must be hired from the beginning?”?

16 workers, option B.

Which method solves this Time and Work item?

Rebuild and verify the complete work-rate equation.

Why are the other options incorrect?

14 workers, 18 workers, 12 workers break a clue, direction, transition or operation.

How should the answer be checked?

Replay the rule from the first clue or term and test every intermediate step.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: Twenty workers can complete a drainage project in 36 days. After working for 12 days, 5 workers leave the site. How many additional days will the remaining workers take to finish the project?”?

32 days, option A.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: A team of 18 workers completes a road survey in 30 days by working 8 hours daily. If the same team works 10 hours daily at the same hourly efficiency, in how many days will it finish the survey?”?

24 days, option D.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: Ravi and Mohan work for the same number of days, and their efficiency ratio is 3:5. If they receive ₹9,600 together, what amount should Mohan receive?”?

₹6,000, option C.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: Anil can prepare a report in 12 days and Sunil can prepare the same report in 18 days. If they work together from the beginning, how many days will they take to complete it?”?

7.2 days, option B.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: 15 identical machines working 6 hours daily for 20 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 25 units in 25 days while working 10 hours daily?”?

18 machines, option A.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: 12 identical machines working 7 hours daily for 18 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 21 days while working 9 hours daily?”?

16 machines, option D.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: 10 identical machines working 9 hours daily for 15 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 20 days while working 9 hours daily?”?

15 machines, option C.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: 8 identical machines working 6 hours daily for 12 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 15 units in 18 days while working 8 hours daily?”?

6 machines, option B.

What is the verified answer to “Solve this Time and Work question: 6 identical machines working 8 hours daily for 10 days produce 10 units. How many machines are required to produce 20 units in 20 days while working 12 hours daily?”?

4 machines, option A.

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