Simplification &

Approximation

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE

Copyright © 2014-2020 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

Simplification &
Approximation
Simplification : It means reducing the expression in simpler form using various
operations.
The operations used to simplify follows a fixed order known as
VBODMAS
Where,
V = Vinculum
B = Bracket
O = of
D = Division
M = Multiplication
A = Addition
S = Subtraction

Vinculum : Vinculum is a horizontal line drawn over a group of terms in a

mathematical expression to indicate that they are to be operated
on as a single entity by the preceding or following operator.

Brackets : Brackets in simplification are of three types.

1) Round brackets ( )
2) Curly brackets { }
3) Box brackets [ ]
The order in which these brackets are operated is ( ), { } and [ ].
Of means multiplication but it is operated before division.
The operation of adding or subtracting can be interchanged or
can be performed simultaneously.

Approximation : It is simplifying the mathematical expression to its nearest value

but not exactly correct. To find the approximate value, we round
off the digits in the expression to the nearest value and simplify
the expression using VBODMAS.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 2

 Download Testbook App

Surds and Indices : A surd is an irrational number that can be expressed with
roots, such as √12 or ∛12.
An index is the power to which a number is raised and the
plural of index is indices. For example, k12 has an index
of 12.

Rule #1: Rule of indices

1. am × an = am + n
am
2. = am – n
an
3. (am )n = amn

4. (ab)m = am × bm

5. (a/b)m = am/bm

6. a-m = 1/am

7. a0= 1

Rule #2: Rule of indices

1
1. m
a =a m

1 1
m
2. ab = a m bm

3. a a1/m
m =
b b1/m
4. ( n a)n = a
m
5. ( n a)m = a n

Q. What approximate value should come in place of x in the following question?

48.99 × ∛342.81 ÷ (6.99)2 + (12.99)2 = x

A. 48.99 × ∛342.81 ÷ (6.99)2 + (12.99)2 = x

⇒ 49 × ∛343 ÷ (7)2 + (13)2 = x
⇒ 49 × 7 ÷ 49 + 169 = x

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 3

 Download Testbook App

⇒ 49 × (1/7) + 169 = x
⇒ 7 + 169 = x
∴ x = 176.

Q. 4 of 2 + 15 ÷ 3 ÷ 5 – 1

A. Step 1: 8 + 15 ÷ 3 ÷ 5 – 1
Step 2: 8 + 5 ÷ 5 – 1 (In case of multiple division, we start division from left side)
Step 3: 8 + 1 – 1 = 8.

Testbook Trick

Simplification of fractions:
If all the fractions have common denominator, then the integer part and the fraction part
can be calculated separately.
1 2 1 1 2 2
Q. 5 + 6 + 8 + 1 + 2 + 7
3 3 3 3 3 3
1  2 1 1 2 2
A.   5  6  8  1  2  7         
3 3 3 3 3 3
⇒ 29 + (9/3)
⇒ 29 + 3 = 32.

Squares of Numbers ending with 5:

Q. Square of 35?

A. Step 1: Divide 35 into 3 / 5.

Step 2: The next consecutive digit of 3 is 4. So Multiply 3 with 4. i.e. 12.
Step 3: 12 / Square of 5 i.e. 25
Ans: 1225

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 4

 Download Testbook App

Square of numbers near to its base:

Q. Square of number 98?

A. Nearest best to 98 = 100. 98 is less than 100 by 2

Step 1: Subtract 98 by 2 = 98 – 2 = 96.
Step 2: Square of 2 = 04 (Number of digits should be equal to number of zeroes in
base)
Ans: 9604.

Q. Square of number 102?

A. Nearest best to 102 = 100. 102 is more than 100 by 2

Step 1: Add 102 by 2 = 102 + 2 = 104.
Step 2: Square of 2 = 04 (Number of digits should be equal to number of zeroes in
base)
Ans: 10404.

Q. Square of number 988?

A. Nearest best to 988 = 1000. 988 is less than 100 by 12

Step 1: Subtract 988 by 12 = 988 – 12 = 976.
Step 2: Square of 12 = 144 (Number of digits should be equal to number of zeroes in
base)
Ans: 976144.

Multiplication of any number with n digits of 9:

Q. 64 × 99
A. Step 1: 64 – 1 = 63
Step 2: Compliment of 64 = 100 – 64 = 36
Ans: 6336.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 5

 Download Testbook App

Q. 678 × 999 = ?

A. Step 1: 678 – 1 = 677

Step 2: Compliment of 678 = 1000 – 678 = 322
Ans: 677322.

Q. 78 × 999 = ?

A. Take 78 as 078 and solve normally.

Step 1: 078 – 1 = 077
Step 2: Compliment of 078 = 1000 – 078 = 922
Ans: 77922.

Multiplication of numbers near base value:

Q. 104 × 108 = ?
A. Step 1:

104 + 8 = 112 or 108 + 4 = 112

Step 2: (+4) × (+8) = 32 (Number of digits should be equal to number of zeroes in
base)
Ans: 11232.

Q. 1002 × 1008 = ?
A. Step 1:

1002 + 8 = 1010 or 1008 + 2 = 1010

Step 2: (+2) × (+8) = 016 (Number of digits should be equal to number of zeroes in
base)
Ans: 1010016.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 6

 Download Testbook App

Q. 94 × 105 = ?
A. Step 1:

94 + 5 = 99 or 105 – 6 = 99
Step 2: (-6) × (+5) = -30
Step 3: 2nd part can’t be negative. Hence, we take out 1 from 1st part and subtract
30 from it.
Ans: 9870.

Multiplication of two numbers:

Eg:

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Simplification and Approximation PAGE 7