Election Results
CAT 2020 Slot 2 · DILR · Hard · Data Interpretation
Passage / data set
In an election several candidates contested for a constituency. In any constituency, the winning candidate was the one who polled the highest number of votes, the first runner up was the one who polled the second highest number of votes, the second runner up was the one who polled the third highest number of votes, and so on. There were no ties (in terms of number of votes polled by the candidates) in any of the constituencies in this election.
In an electoral system, a security deposit is the sum of money that a candidate is required to pay to the election commission before he or she is permitted to contest. Only the defeated candidates (i.e., one who is not the winning candidate) who fail to secure more than one sixth of the valid votes polled in the constituency, lose their security deposits.
The following table provides some incomplete information about votes polled in four constituencies: A, B, C and D, in this election.
| Constituency | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of candidates contesting | 10 | 12 | 5 | 8 |
| Total No. of valid votes polled | 5,00,000 | 3,25,000 | 6,00,030 | |
| No. of votes polled by the winning candidate | 2,75,000 | 48,750 | ||
| No. of votes polled by the first runner up | 95,000 | 37,500 | ||
| No. of votes polled by the second runner up | 30,000 | |||
| % of valid votes polled by the third runner up | 10% |
The following additional facts are known:
- The first runner up polled 10,000 more votes than the second runner up in constituency A.
- None of the candidates who contested in constituency C lost their security deposit. The difference in votes polled by any pair of candidates in this constituency was at least 10,000.
- The winning candidate in constituency D polled 5% of valid votes more than that of the first runner up. All the candidates who lost their security deposits while contesting for this constituency, put together, polled 35% of the valid votes.
Question 1 of 6
What is the percentage of votes polled in total by all the candidates who lost their security deposits while contesting for constituency A?
9
Explanation
In constituency A, 1/6th of total votes = 5,00,000 / 6 = 83,333.33. Votes polled by second runner up = 85,000. Total votes lost by candidates losing deposit = 45,000, which is 9% of 5,00,000.
Question 2 of 6
How many candidates who contested in constituency B lost their security deposit?
11
Explanation
1/6th of valid votes in B = 3,25,000 / 6 = 54,166.67. The winner polled 48,750, which is already less than 1/6th of total valid votes. Thus, all 11 defeated candidates failed to secure more than 1/6th of valid votes and lost their security deposit.
Question 3 of 6
What BEST can be concluded about the number of votes polled by the winning candidate in constituency C?
- A.
between 1,40,005 and 1,40,010
- B.
1,40,006
- C.
less than 2,00,010
- D.
1,40,010
B
Explanation
Since no candidate lost security deposit in C, each received > 100,005 votes. Using the minimum differences of 10,000 between consecutive candidates, the exact unique solution for the winner's vote count is 1,40,006.
Question 4 of 6
What was the number of valid votes polled in constituency D?
- A.
1,75,000
- B.
62,500
- C.
1,25,000
- D.
1,50,000
A
Explanation
Let total valid votes in D be V. Votes for 1st runner up = 37,500. Winner = 37,500 + 0.05V. Setting up the equation with remaining vote percentages yields V = 1,75,000.
Question 5 of 6
The winning margin of a constituency is defined as the difference of votes polled by the winner and that of the first runner up. Which of the following CANNOT be the list of constituencies, in increasing order of winning margin?
- A.
B, D, C, A
- B.
D, B, C, A
- C.
D, C, B, A
- D.
B, C, D, A
D
Explanation
Comparing the calculated winning margins across constituencies A, B, C, and D shows that the order B, C, D, A is impossible.
Question 6 of 6
For all the four constituencies taken together, what was the approximate number of votes polled by all the candidates who lost their security deposit expressed as a percentage of the total valid votes from these four constituencies?
- A.
32.00%
- B.
38.25%
- C.
23.54%
- D.
23.91%
D
Explanation
Summing the votes lost by deposit-losing candidates across A, B, C, and D and dividing by the grand total of valid votes gives approximately 23.91%.
Practise this under exam conditions
Sign in to solve it with a live timer, the on-screen CAT calculator, and streak and accuracy tracking across every question you attempt.
Solve in the workspace