Simplification Questions for IBPS CLERK

BODMAS Rule — The Foundation

Every simplification problem follows a fixed order of operations. You must solve brackets first, then division and multiplication (left to right), then addition and subtraction (left to right). Skipping or reversing this order is the number one reason for wrong answers. Think of BODMAS as a traffic signal — you cannot jump the queue.

• B — Brackets: solve innermost bracket first, then curved, then square, then curly
• O — Of (means multiplication, used with fractions like 1/2 of 40)
• D — Division (left to right before addition/subtraction)
• M — Multiplication (same priority as Division, go left to right)
• A — Addition
• S — Subtraction

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

A huge chunk of simplification questions mix fractions with decimals or percentages. The trick is to convert everything to the same form before operating. Converting a percent to a fraction (divide by 100) or a decimal to a fraction keeps your calculation clean and error-free. Memorising common fraction-decimal-percent equivalents saves 15-20 seconds per question.

• 1/2 = 0.5 = 50%, 1/4 = 0.25 = 25%, 3/4 = 0.75 = 75%
• 1/3 = 0.333 = 33.33%, 2/3 = 0.667 = 66.67%
• 1/5 = 0.2 = 20%, 1/8 = 0.125 = 12.5%, 1/6 = 16.67%
• To add fractions: find LCM of denominators first
• Percentage of a number: x% of N = (x/100) x N

Squares, Cubes, and Square Roots

IBPS Clerk frequently places squares and square roots inside simplification expressions. You must know squares up to 30 and cubes up to 15 by heart. Square root questions often hide perfect squares — learn to spot them fast. The cube root of small numbers (1 to 15) also appears. Treat this as pure memorisation — no shortcut exists here.

• Squares: 1 to 30 must be memorised (eg. 24^2 = 576, 27^2 = 729)
• Cubes: 1^3=1, 2^3=8, 3^3=27 up to 15^3=3375
• Square root of non-perfect squares: use approximation (eg. root 50 is between 7 and 8, closer to 7.07)
• Surd simplification: root(a x b) = root(a) x root(b), useful to split large numbers
• a^2 - b^2 = (a+b)(a-b) — saves time when two squares appear in subtraction

Approximation Technique

Approximation questions ask you to find the nearest value, not the exact answer. IBPS Clerk always gives 5 options that are far apart enough for rounding to work. The rule is simple: round each number to the nearest comfortable value (usually nearest 10 or whole number), calculate, then pick the closest option. Do not waste time finding exact answers in approximation questions.

• Round decimals to nearest whole number before operating
• Round percentages to nearest 5 or 10 percent for speed
• If options are far apart (eg. 100, 200, 300), even rough approximation is enough
• For square roots in approximation, use known squares as anchors
• Always check if your rounded answer is slightly above or below to pick the right option

Number Properties and Divisibility Tricks

Sometimes simplification becomes very fast if you know divisibility rules and number properties. These let you cancel terms, identify factors, and reduce fractions without long division. This is the backstage skill that separates fast solvers from slow ones.

• Divisible by 2: last digit even. By 3: sum of digits divisible by 3. By 4: last two digits divisible by 4
• Divisible by 9: sum of digits divisible by 9. By 11: alternating digit difference is 0 or 11
• Cancel common factors in fractions before multiplying — never multiply first then cancel
• If numerator and denominator share a factor, divide both immediately
• Even x Even = Even, Odd x Odd = Odd, Even x Odd = Even — useful for quick checks

• Ignoring BODMAS order — solving left to right without checking for multiplication or division priority first. This alone causes 30% of errors.
• In approximation questions, spending time doing exact calculation instead of rounding. This wastes 60-90 seconds unnecessarily.
• Forgetting that 'of' means multiplication — so 1/3 of 99 is 33, not 99/3 divided by something else again.
• Not simplifying fractions before multiplying — multiplying large numbers first creates messy calculations that slow you down and invite errors.
• Confusing square root of a sum with sum of square roots — sqrt(a+b) is NOT equal to sqrt(a) + sqrt(b). This is a classic trap in surd questions.

• BODMAS mnemonic: Big Orange Dogs Must Always Sit — Brackets, Of, Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction
• Fraction-Decimal anchor: One-Eight is One-Two-Five (1/8 = 0.125). Build other eighths from this: 3/8 = 3 x 0.125 = 0.375
• Difference of squares visual: imagine a big square with a small square punched out of the corner — what remains is (a+b)(a-b)
• For approximation, think of yourself as rounding to save your own time — the exam does not penalise you for rounding, only for wrong answers

• IBPS Clerk Prelims typically has 10 to 15 questions from Simplification and Approximation combined out of 35 Quant questions — this is your highest ROI topic, practice it daily.
• Questions are usually direct — no multi-step word problems. You will see one expression and five answer choices. Target 30 to 45 seconds per question.
• Approximation questions in recent years have used two-term expressions involving percentages of 3-digit numbers — practice rounding percentages to nearest 5 percent.
• Avoid using pen calculation for every step — mental maths for addition and multiplication up to 20 is essential. Practice tables up to 20 and squares up to 30.
• If a simplification question looks very long, check if a pattern like difference of squares or common factor cancellation applies — IBPS setters often hide a shortcut that reduces 5 steps to 2.