Page 12 | Maths question - Civil Service is wrong (we now have 100% more threads about the subject)

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 2025-08-02T12:36:13+00:00

When I posted late last night I thought I’d get maybe half a dozen replies confirming the question didn’t have the correct answer and advising whether to tell the Civil Service recruiters. But here we are 1000 posts later. [[https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5384347-maths-test-to-think-civil-service-have-it-wrong https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5384347-maths-test-to-think-civil-service-have-it-wrong]]

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 01:19

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 01:16

@ItsFineReally with my calculation I do not agree that the question asks you to calculate the start point and end point without also fracturing in the trebling 300% increase in between. This is why the answer must be above 300%.

200 to 600 is a 400 increase in circulation which represents a 300% increase this means the final answer must be above 300%

Next year circulation decreases by 25% so 400-100=300
300 is an increase of 150% from the starting point of 200 so

300% plus 150% is a 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Sigh.

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 01:17

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 01:13

There is so much wrong here that it’s impossible to know where to begin.

Show quote history

I thought I'd give it a bash from a different angle and ignore the rest. But alas. 🤷‍♀️

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 01:16

@ItsFineReally with my calculation I do not agree that the question asks you to calculate the start point and end point without also fracturing in the trebling 300% increase in between. This is why the answer must be above 300%.

200 to 600 is a 400 increase in circulation which represents a 300% increase this means the final answer must be above 300%

Next year circulation decreases by 25% so 400-100=300
300 is an increase of 150% from the starting point of 200 so

300% plus 150% is a 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Original poster

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 01:13

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:58

@ItsFineReally That is not correct the increase in circulation from

200 to 600 is a 400 increase in circulation which represents a 300% increase this means the final answer must be above 300%

Next year circulation decreases by 25% so 400-100=300

300 is an increase of 150% from the starting point of 200 so

300% plus 150% is a 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Edited

There is so much wrong here that it’s impossible to know where to begin.

OP posts:

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 01:09

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 01:05

Read all my other examples the maths works and the answer is 450%

Edited

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Ok, you are trolling now. I'm out.

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 01:07

@Spiderbitebatbite Which bit isn't correct? I've simply asked you to clarify what you think the figures are. You agreed you have:
200
600
300
You agree the original question asks for the percentage increase in the figures?

I've then questioned why you think the increase from Yr 1 to Yr 3 (which is the original question) of 200 to 300 can be 450%.

I've not tried to give you a different explanation, simply step through your own calculation.

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 01:05

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 00:46

A quarter of 600 is 150. You’re halving it, not reducing it by a quarter.

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Read all my other examples the maths works and the answer is 450%

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 01:01

Rainydayinlondon · 03/08/2025 00:56

@Spiderbitebatbite
Where are you getting 24 from? IT's a 25% deduction, but you've halved it

Read all my other examples it may help you understand no matter what number you give me it always works out at 450% as the answer. You gave me 8 saying it would never work but it does.

The answer is 450%

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:58

@ItsFineReally That is not correct the increase in circulation from

200 to 600 is a 400 increase in circulation which represents a 300% increase this means the final answer must be above 300%

Next year circulation decreases by 25% so 400-100=300

300 is an increase of 150% from the starting point of 200 so

300% plus 150% is a 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Rainydayinlondon · 03/08/2025 00:56

@Spiderbitebatbite
Where are you getting 24 from? IT's a 25% deduction, but you've halved it

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:52

@Sharingaroomtinightthen

8 doubles to 16

As the question states start from here

16
48
24

48-16 is 32 which represents 300%

decreases by 25% which is 32 - 8=24. 24 is 150% increase from the starting point of 16.

so 300% plus 150% is 450%

The answer is 450%

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 00:48

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:44

100

Starting point is 200 after doubling 100

200
600
300

This is the order.

Show quote history

Ok, so next part of my question. The start point and end point are 200 and 300 respectively. You have calculated this increase as 450%. Does that seem right to you in the context of those figures?

Original poster

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 00:46

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:44

100

Starting point is 200 after doubling 100

200
600
300

This is the order.

Show quote history

A quarter of 600 is 150. You’re halving it, not reducing it by a quarter.

OP posts:

Original poster

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 00:44

slightlydistrac · 03/08/2025 00:32

Speaking as someone who has been working in finance since 1979, their question is ambiguous and therefore unanswerable without further clarification.

And that would have been my answer.

It is not ambiguous. It is asking for the percentage increase between the end of year one and the end of year three. It’s very clear.

OP posts:

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:44

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 00:34

@Spiderbitebatbite You've not addressed my question. From what you've said previously you think the total circulation figures are:
Yr 1 200
Yr 2 600
Yr 3 300
Is that correct? In your longer written explanation, you seemingly contradict this but these are the numbers you have set out.

100

Starting point is 200 after doubling 100

200
600
300

This is the order.

Original poster

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 00:43

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:28

In your opinion it is clear as day to me from the trebling word in the question that the starting point makes the answer above 300%.

I don’t care if you are an accountant. You are wrong and you have made fun of the few that have got it right.

The answer is 450%.

Show quote history

Try it with the number 8.

The starting number is 8.

This doubles in year one to 16 - this number is the one the first part of the question asks for.

In year two it trebles to 48.

And then in year three falls by a quarter to 36.

The question is asking for the percentage increase between 16 and 36, which is 125%.

Can you get 450% to fit with the number 8?

OP posts:

Original poster

Sharingaroomtinightthen · 03/08/2025 00:38

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:26

@ItsFineReally

100 doubles to 200

As the question states start at 200 in year 2

200 trebles to 600 so a difference of 400 which REPRESENTS a 300% increase this is the starting point HINT the answer must be above 300% it is clear as day and spelt out in the question!

In year 3 there is a 25% DECREASE in circulation so 400 circulated in year 2 so this figure minus 25% is 300

300 is a 150% increase from the starting point of 200

so 300% plus 150% is 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Edited

You what? A decrease of a quarter brings the number from 600 to 450, not 300.

OP posts:

Jacopo · 03/08/2025 00:37

Ohhh spiderspiderspider. You do not understand what a percentage increase is.

HippyDays · 03/08/2025 00:36

slightlydistrac · 03/08/2025 00:32

Speaking as someone who has been working in finance since 1979, their question is ambiguous and therefore unanswerable without further clarification.

And that would have been my answer.

Can I ask some questions?

In what way is it ambiguous?

What further clarification would you want?

And how would you give that answer with the radio button options presented?

ItsFineReally · 03/08/2025 00:34

@Spiderbitebatbite You've not addressed my question. From what you've said previously you think the total circulation figures are:
Yr 1 200
Yr 2 600
Yr 3 300
Is that correct? In your longer written explanation, you seemingly contradict this but these are the numbers you have set out.

slightlydistrac · 03/08/2025 00:32

Speaking as someone who has been working in finance since 1979, their question is ambiguous and therefore unanswerable without further clarification.

And that would have been my answer.

Merryoldgoat · 03/08/2025 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:28

Merryoldgoat · 03/08/2025 00:22

I don’t want it to be 125% - it is.

I do this for a living. I’m an accountant and calculating percentage changes is something I do on a daily basis. If I didn’t know what I was doing it would’ve been discovered by now given my work is scrutinised, analysed, and used to make significant financial decisions every workday.

The question setter either doesn’t understand what a percentage change is, or worded the question incorrectly.

The answer to the question as worded is 125%

It’s entirely possible that the setter intended the answer to be 450% but they asked the wrong question if that’s the case.

Show quote history

In your opinion it is clear as day to me from the trebling word in the question that the starting point makes the answer above 300%.

I don’t care if you are an accountant. You are wrong and you have made fun of the few that have got it right.

The answer is 450%.

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:26

@ItsFineReally

100 doubles to 200

As the question states start at 200 in year 2

200 trebles to 600 so a difference of 400 which REPRESENTS a 300% increase this is the starting point HINT the answer must be above 300% it is clear as day and spelt out in the question!

In year 3 there is a 25% DECREASE in circulation so 400 circulated in year 2 so this figure minus 25% is 300

300 is a 150% increase from the starting point of 200

so 300% plus 150% is 450% increase

The correct answer is 450%

Merryoldgoat · 03/08/2025 00:22

Spiderbitebatbite · 03/08/2025 00:14

@Merryoldgoat you fundamentally don’t understand the question and want 125% to be the answer when it isn’t even an option.

It is clear as day 450% is the answer. You’ve bullied and berated the few with the right answer. But you are wrong.

450% is the correct answer.

I don’t want it to be 125% - it is.

I do this for a living. I’m an accountant and calculating percentage changes is something I do on a daily basis. If I didn’t know what I was doing it would’ve been discovered by now given my work is scrutinised, analysed, and used to make significant financial decisions every workday.

The question setter either doesn’t understand what a percentage change is, or worded the question incorrectly.

The answer to the question as worded is 125%

It’s entirely possible that the setter intended the answer to be 450% but they asked the wrong question if that’s the case.