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SSC CGL Tables

Study Material — 32 PYQs (2018–2021) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts

SSC CGL Tables is a frequently tested subtopic — 32 previous year questions from 2018–2021 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.

32 PYQs
2018–2021
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Previous Year Questions

SSC CGL Tables — Past Exam Questions

32 questions from actual SSC CGL papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the monthly sales (in lakhs of rupees) of five different products across a retail company for the year 2023.

ProductJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJune
Product A121518202225
Product B81012141618
Product C202020202020
Product D579111315
Product E151413121110
Exam Q 12021Previous Year Pattern

By what percentage did Product D's sales increase from January to June?

Exam Q 22021Previous Year Pattern

Which product has the highest total sales from January to June?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table showing the sales performance of five retail stores across four quarters and answer the questions.

Store NameQ1 (₹ Lakhs)Q2 (₹ Lakhs)Q3 (₹ Lakhs)Q4 (₹ Lakhs)
Store A50607080
Store B40506070
Store C60606060
Store D30456075
Store E80757065
Exam Q 32021Previous Year Pattern

What is the average quarterly sales of Store D?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below. The table shows the number of units sold by five companies (A, B, C, D, E) across four quarters (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) in the year 2023.

CompanyQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
A12001500180015006000
B20002500200015008000
C16001400120018006000
D18002200240016008000
E14001600160024007000
Total800092009000880035000
Exam Q 42018Previous Year Pattern

What is the average number of units sold by Company E across all four quarters?

Exam Q 52021Previous Year Pattern

What is the total sales of Product A from January to June?

Exam Q 62021Previous Year Pattern

What is the average monthly sales of Product B?

Exam Q 72021Previous Year Pattern

What is the total sales of Store A across all four quarters?

Exam Q 82021Previous Year Pattern

What is the difference between the total sales of Store C and Store E across all quarters?

Exam Q 92021Previous Year Pattern

What is the difference between the total sales of Product C and Product E from January to June?

Exam Q 102021Previous Year Pattern

By what percentage did Store B's sales increase from Q1 to Q4?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions given below. The table shows the sales (in ₹ Lakhs) of five companies — A, B, C, D, and E — over four years: 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Company2020202120222023
A120150180240
B200250300350
C160200240280
D80100140160
E240270300330

All figures are in ₹ Lakhs.

Exam Q 112018Previous Year Pattern

What is the ratio of total sales of Company B to total sales of Company D over all four years?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the production figures (in thousand units) of five electronic companies across four quarters of a financial year.

CompanyQ1Q2Q3Q4
Alpha120150180210
Beta100120140160
Gamma80100120140
Delta140140140140
Epsilon110130150170
Exam Q 122021Previous Year Pattern

In Q2, what was the difference between the highest and lowest production among all companies?

Exam Q 132021Previous Year Pattern

Which company had the highest total production across all four quarters?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions based on the data provided. The table below shows the production figures (in thousand units) of five electronic products manufactured by TechCorp Industries over four quarters of a financial year.

ProductQ1Q2Q3Q4
Smartphones120150180210
Tablets80100120140
Laptops607590105
Smartwatches40506070
Headphones100120140160
Exam Q 142021Previous Year Pattern

What is the average production of Tablets across all four quarters?

Exam Q 152021Previous Year Pattern

By what percentage did Smartphone production increase from Q1 to Q4?

Exam Q 162021Previous Year Pattern

Which product showed the highest total production across all four quarters?

Exam Q 172018Previous Year Pattern

What is the average sales (in ₹ Lakhs) of all five companies in the year 2022?

Exam Q 182018Previous Year Pattern

What is the percentage increase in the sales of Company A from 2020 to 2023?

Exam Q 192018Previous Year Pattern

In which year was the total sales of all five companies together the highest?

Exam Q 202021Previous Year Pattern

By what percentage did Alpha's production increase from Q1 to Q4?

Exam Q 212021Previous Year Pattern

What is the ratio of Smartwatches production in Q2 to Headphones production in Q2?

Exam Q 222021Previous Year Pattern

What is the average production of Beta company across all four quarters?

Exam Q 232021Previous Year Pattern

What is the ratio of Gamma's Q4 production to Delta's Q4 production?

Exam Q 242021Previous Year Pattern

If the production growth rate from Q3 to Q4 for Laptops continues at the same rate, what would be the expected production in Q5?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions based on the data provided. The table below shows the production (in thousand units) and revenue (in crore rupees) of five manufacturing companies across four quarters of a financial year.

CompanyQ1 ProductionQ1 RevenueQ2 ProductionQ2 RevenueQ3 ProductionQ3 RevenueQ4 ProductionQ4 Revenue
Alpha120480135540150675180810
Beta100350110385125437.5140490
Gamma8032096384108432120480
Delta9027099297108324126378
Epsilon110440121484133532146584
Exam Q 252021Previous Year Pattern

In Q3, what is the ratio of total production of Alpha and Epsilon combined to the total production of Delta and Gamma combined?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions based on the data provided. The table below shows the production figures (in thousand units) and profit margins (in %) for five manufacturing plants of TechCorp Industries across four quarters of a financial year.

PlantQ1 ProductionQ1 Profit %Q2 ProductionQ2 Profit %Q3 ProductionQ3 Profit %Q4 ProductionQ4 Profit %
Plant A12015135181502016522
Plant B10012110141211613318
Plant C14010154121691418616
Plant D80208822972410726
Plant E11018121191332014621

Note: Profit in absolute terms (in thousand rupees) = Production × Profit % / 100

Exam Q 262021Previous Year Pattern

Plant B's production increased by what percentage from Q1 to Q4?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table carefully and answer the questions based on the data provided. The table below shows the production (in thousand units) and profit margin (in %) of five manufacturing companies across four quarters of a financial year.

CompanyQ1 ProductionQ1 Profit %Q2 ProductionQ2 Profit %Q3 ProductionQ3 Profit %Q4 ProductionQ4 Profit %
Alpha24015280183202036022
Beta18020200222202424025
Gamma30012310143301635018
Delta16025175261902721028
Epsilon22018240192602128023
Exam Q 272020Previous Year Pattern

By what percentage did Delta's production increase from Q1 to Q4?

Exam Q 282021Previous Year Pattern

Which plant showed the highest absolute profit (in thousand rupees) in Q3, and what was that profit?

Exam Q 292021Previous Year Pattern

If the revenue per unit (in crore per thousand units) for Gamma in Q2 is the same as in Q3, and the Q3 production was 108 thousand units, what should the Q3 revenue have been? (The given Q3 revenue is 432 crore. Is the data consistent?)

Exam Q 302020Previous Year Pattern

If the cost price per unit is ₹100 for all companies, what is the total profit (in ₹ lakhs) earned by Epsilon across all four quarters? [Profit = Production × Cost Price × Profit % ÷ 100]

Exam Q 312021Previous Year Pattern

What is the average revenue per thousand units produced (in rupees) by company Beta across all four quarters?

Exam Q 322021Previous Year Pattern

What is the difference between the total annual revenue of Alpha and the total annual revenue of Delta (in crore rupees)?

Concept Notes

Tables— Rules & Concept

1.Core Concept

Read this first — the foundation of the topic

CORE CONCEPT — WHAT IS A TABLE IN DATA INTERPRETATION? A table is a grid of rows and columns that stores data in an organised way. Each row represents one category. Each column represents one variable. The cell where a row and column meet gives you the exact data value. In SSC CGL, tables are the most common DI format. You must read the table carefully, pick the right numbers, and do fast calculations.

KEY RULES FOR READING TABLES 1. Always read the title first. It tells you what the table is about.

2. Read the column headings and row labels carefully before answering. 3. Units matter. Check if values are in thousands, lakhs, crores, or percentages.

4. Never assume. Only use data that is given in the table. 5. If a question asks for a ratio, percentage, or average — identify the correct rows and columns first, then calculate.

2.Formula Block

Memorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
Percentage Change = ((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value) x 100
Ratio = Value A / Value B
Average = Sum of all values / Number of values
Percentage of Total = (Part / Total) x 100
Difference = Larger Value - Smaller Value

3.Exam Patterns

What examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

— WHAT GETS ASKED SSC CGL almost always asks these 5 question types from tables: 1. Find the percentage increase or decrease between two years. 2. Find the ratio of two values. 3. Find the average of a row or column. 4.

Find which year or category had the highest or lowest value. 5. Find the total or the difference between two values. A set of 4 to 5 questions is based on one table. Attempt all questions of one set together. Do not skip between sets.

4.Shortcuts

Use these to save 30–60 seconds per question
Trick 2 — Percentage Change Approximation

If New = 540, Old = 500. Change = 40. Percentage = 40/500 x 100 = 8%. Always divide the difference by the OLD value, not the new one

Trick 3 — Eliminate Options for Ranking Questions

For questions like 'which year had maximum sales', do not calculate all values. Visually scan the column. Pick the two largest. Compare only those two.

This saves 30 seconds.

5.Worked Example

Solve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1

Old Value = 4200 (year 2019)

2
Step 2

New Value = 5040 (year 2020)

3
Step 3

Difference = 5040 - 4200 = 840

4
Step 4

Percentage Change = (840 / 4200) x 100 = 20% Answer: 20% increase WORKED EXAMPLE 2 Using same table above. Question: What is the ratio of total sales of Company A to total sales of Company B over all three years?

1
Step 1

Total of Company A = 4200 + 5040 + 4800 = 14040

2
Step 2

Total of Company B = 3800 + 4200 + 4620 = 12620

3
Step 3

Ratio = 14040 / 12620

4
Step 4

Simplify. Divide both by 20. 702 / 631. Check if further simplification is possible. HCF of 702 and 631 = 1. So ratio = 702 : 631. Answer: 702 : 631 NOTE: In exam, if options are like 70:63 or 702:631, pick the exact one. Do not over-simplify.

6.Exam Traps

Common mistakes students make — avoid these

— THE NUMBER 1 TRAP Students divide by the NEW value instead of the OLD value when finding percentage change. This is the most common error in SSC CGL DI. Always remember: Percentage Change = Difference divided by OLD value, then multiply by 100.

The OLD value is always your base (denominator). If you flip this, your answer will be wrong even if your arithmetic is perfect.

Key Points to Remember

  • A table has rows and columns — always read the title, row labels, and column headings before solving.
  • Percentage Change = ((New - Old) / Old) x 100 — always divide by OLD value.
  • Ratio of two quantities = First Value / Second Value — simplify using HCF.
  • Average = Sum of all values / Total number of values — count carefully.
  • Percentage of Total = (Part / Total) x 100 — identify the correct 'total' from the table.
  • Shortcut: Memorise fraction-to-percentage conversions (1/8 = 12.5%, 1/6 = 16.67%) to save time.
  • For ranking questions, scan visually first — only calculate the top two values to confirm.
  • Always check the unit of measurement — values may be in lakhs, crores, or thousands.
  • In ratio questions, if simplification is not clean, the answer may stay as a large ratio like 702:631.
  • SSC CGL table DI always has 4-5 questions per table — solve all questions of one table together for speed.

Exam-Specific Tips

  • In SSC CGL, Data Interpretation carries approximately 10-15 marks out of 200 in the Quantitative Aptitude section.
  • The most tested calculation in Table DI is Percentage Change, appearing in nearly 70% of all DI question sets.
  • Percentage Change formula: ((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value) x 100 — denominator is always the Old Value.
  • Common fraction shortcuts tested in SSC CGL: 1/6 = 16.67%, 1/7 ≈ 14.28%, 1/8 = 12.5%, 1/9 ≈ 11.11%.
  • Average formula used in DI: Sum of values / Number of values — if 5 years of data are given, divide by 5.
  • In SSC CGL Tier 1, the DI section typically contains 2 sets of questions with 4-5 questions each.
  • Ratio simplification requires dividing both values by their HCF — if HCF is 1, the ratio cannot be simplified further.
  • Units in tables are mentioned in the table header or footnote — missing the unit (e.g., 'in thousands') causes 100% wrong answers.
Practice MCQs

Tables — Practice Questions

96graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis · showing 20 of 96

All MCQs →
📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table showing the sales performance of five retail stores across four quarters and answer the questions.

Store NameQ1 (₹ Lakhs)Q2 (₹ Lakhs)Q3 (₹ Lakhs)Q4 (₹ Lakhs)
Store A50607080
Store B40506070
Store C60606060
Store D30456075
Store E80706050
Practice 1easy

What is the ratio of Q1 sales of Store A to Q1 sales of Store D?

Practice 2easy

What is the total sales of Store A across all four quarters?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table showing monthly sales (in lakhs of rupees) of five retail stores across Q1 2024 and answer the questions.

Store NameJanuaryFebruaryMarchTotal Q1
Store A455055150
Store B606570195
Store C303540105
Store D404550135
Store E505560165
Total225250275750
Practice 3easy

What is the total sales of Store B for Q1 2024?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the sales figures (in lakhs of rupees) of five branches of a retail company across four quarters of a financial year.

BranchQ1Q2Q3Q4
North120150180210
South100120140160
East80100120140
West110130150170
Central90110130150
Practice 4easy

By what percentage did the West branch's sales increase from Q1 to Q4?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the sales figures (in lakhs of rupees) of five branches of a retail company across four quarters of a financial year.

BranchQ1Q2Q3Q4
Delhi120150180210
Mumbai140160170180
Bangalore100120140160
Chennai80100120140
Kolkata110130150170
Practice 5easy

What is the average sales of Bangalore branch across all quarters?

Practice 6easy

What is the average sales of Store D across all four quarters?

Practice 7easy

By what percentage did Chennai's sales increase from Q1 to Q2?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the sales (in lakhs of rupees) of five different products across four quarters of a financial year.

ProductQ1Q2Q3Q4
A120150180210
B80100120140
C200200200200
D6090120150
E100110120130
Practice 8easy

Which product has the highest total sales across all four quarters?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table and answer the questions. The table below shows the sales figures (in lakhs of rupees) of five different products across four quarters of a financial year.

ProductQ1Q2Q3Q4
A120150180210
B80100120140
C200200200200
D6090120150
E100110120130
Practice 9easy

By what percentage did Product A's sales increase from Q1 to Q4?

Practice 10easy

What is the average sales of Product B across all four quarters?

Practice 11easy

By what percentage did Product A's sales increase from Q1 to Q4?

Practice 12easy

What is the total sales of Product C across all four quarters?

📊Data / Passage
Directions

Study the following table showing quarterly sales data (in lakhs ₹) for five product categories of TechCorp Ltd. and answer the questions.

Product CategoryQ1Q2Q3Q4
Laptops120150180200
Smartphones80100120140
Tablets607590105
Accessories40506070
Software50607080
Practice 13easy

What is the ratio of Q4 sales of Accessories to Q4 sales of Software?

Practice 14easy

Which product category had the highest sales in Q3?

Practice 15easy

What is the average quarterly sales of Tablets?

Practice 16easy

By what percentage did Smartphones sales increase from Q1 to Q4?

Practice 17easy

What is the ratio of Store E's total Q1 sales to Store D's total Q1 sales?

Practice 18easy

Which store recorded the lowest total sales in Q1 2024?

Practice 19easy

What is the ratio of Q4 sales of Central branch to Q4 sales of North branch?

Practice 20easy

What is the total sales of the Mumbai branch across all four quarters?

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60-Second Revision — Tables

  • Remember: Percentage Change = ((New - Old) / Old) x 100 — OLD value is ALWAYS the denominator.
  • Trap: Never divide by the NEW value for percentage change — this is the most common SSC CGL DI mistake.
  • Formula: Average = Sum / Count — count the number of entries carefully, especially if a row has missing data.
  • Shortcut: For ranking (max/min) questions, do NOT calculate all values — visually scan and compare only the top two.
  • Remember: Always check units in the table header — if values are in thousands, your final answer must reflect that.
  • Formula: Ratio = Value A : Value B — simplify by HCF; if HCF = 1, leave the ratio as is.
  • Strategy: Read the full table once before attempting any question — 30 seconds spent reading saves 2 minutes in solving.
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