Study Material — 2 PYQs (2023–2023) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts
IBPS RRB PO Work & Wages is a frequently tested subtopic — 2 previous year questions from 2023–2023 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.
2 questions from actual IBPS RRB PO papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution
Exam Q 12023Previous Year Pattern
A project is divided into two parts: Part A requires 60 person-days and Part B requires 40 person-days. Worker X completes Part A in 12 days and Part B in 10 days. Worker Y completes Part A in 15 days and Part B in 8 days. If X and Y work together on Part A for 4 days, then X alone finishes Part A, and Y alone finishes Part B, what is the ratio of time taken by X to complete his remaining work to the time taken by Y to complete her remaining work?
Exam Q 22023Previous Year Pattern
A task requires 120 person-days of work. Worker M can complete it in 30 days, and worker N can complete it in 40 days. M and N work together for 10 days, then M takes a 5-day break while N continues. After M returns, both work together until completion. What is the ratio of wages earned by M to N if they are paid proportionally to work done, and the total wage is ₹12,000?
Concept Notes
Work & Wages— Rules & Concept
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Core Concept
When multiple people work together and complete a job, their wages should be divided in the ratio of their work rates or efficiency. If A can do work in 10 days and B in 15 days, A is more efficient and deserves higher wages
Key Rules
(1) Wages ∝ Work Rate (2) Wages ∝ 1/Time taken (3) Total wages = Sum of individual wages (4) If workers work for different durations, wages depend on both efficiency and time worked.
Formula BlockMemorise — at least one formula appears in every paper
Wage Ratio = Work Rate Ratio = 1/Time Ratio
A's wage : B's wage = (1/A's time) : (1/B's time)
If working together: Combined rate = 1/A + 1/B
Wage distribution = (Individual rate / Combined rate) × Total wages
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL frequently asks wage distribution problems with 2-3 workers having different efficiencies. Common variations include workers joining/leaving at different times, and finding individual wages from total payment.
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
For time-based problems, flip the time values to get wage ratios directly. If A takes 6 days and B takes 9 days, wage ratio = 9:6 = 3:2 (notice the flip).
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Find work rates
A's rate = 1/12 work per day
B's rate = 1/15 work per day
2
Step 2
Calculate wage ratio
Wage ratio = Rate ratio = (1/12) : (1/15)
Taking LCM of 12 and 15 = 60
(1/12) = 5/60 and (1/15) = 4/60
So ratio = 5:4
3
Step 3
Distribute wages
Total parts = 5 + 4 = 9
A's wage = (5/9) × 1350 = Rs 750
B's wage = (4/9) × 1350 = Rs 600
Verification: 750 + 600 = 1350 ✓
Shortcut for this: Time ratio = 12:15 = 4:5, so wage ratio = 5:4 (flipped)
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students often forget to flip time ratios when calculating wage ratios. Remember: higher efficiency (less time) means higher wages. Also, when workers work for different durations, multiply efficiency by time worked to get actual work contribution.
Key Points to Remember
Wages are always proportional to work rate or efficiency of workers
Wage ratio = 1/Time ratio (flip the time values to get wage ratio)
If A takes 'm' days and B takes 'n' days, wage ratio = n:m
Combined work rate = sum of individual work rates
When workers work different hours, multiply rate by time for wage calculation
Total wages distributed = sum of all individual wages
Higher efficiency worker gets larger share of wages
Wage distribution formula: (Individual rate/Total rate) × Total wages
Exam-Specific Tips
Work rate is always reciprocal of time taken (Rate = 1/Time)
Wage ratio equals work rate ratio in direct proportion
LCM method used to compare fractions in work rate calculations
Combined efficiency = sum of individual efficiencies when working together
Time ratio and wage ratio are inverse to each other
Proportion formula: A:B = x:y means A/B = x/y
Work done = Rate × Time for individual contribution calculation
Practice MCQs
Work & Wages — Practice Questions
6graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
If 15 workers can earn ₹9,000 in 6 days, how much will 10 workers earn in 9 days at the same rate of work?
Practice 2easy
A worker is paid ₹500 per day. If he works for 18 days in a month and is absent for 12 days, what is his total earnings for the month?
Practice 3easy
Two workers, P and Q, are paid ₹400 and ₹600 per day respectively. If they work together for 8 days, what is their combined daily earnings?
Practice 4easy
Three workers A, B, and C are paid in the ratio 3:4:5 for a project. If the total payment is ₹24,000, how much does C receive?
Practice 5easy
A man completes 1/4 of a job in 6 days. At this rate, how many days will he take to complete the entire job?
Practice 6hard
A contractor hires workers on a piece-rate basis. For every 100 units produced, a worker earns ₹500. Worker P produces 240 units in 8 hours. Worker Q produces 180 units in 6 hours. If both work together for 10 hours, what is the difference in their earnings?
60-Second Revision — Work & Wages
Remember: Wage ratio = 1/Time ratio (always flip time values)
Formula: Individual wage = (Own rate/Combined rate) × Total wages
Trick: For times a:b, wages will be b:a
Trap: Don't forget to multiply by working hours if different
Quick check: Sum of distributed wages = Total wages given
Pattern: Higher efficiency = Less time = More wages