8-Week Test Scores Progression

XAT 2025 · Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation · Hard · Data Interpretation

Passage / data set

In an 8-week course, a professor administered a test at the end of each week. Each of the eight tests was scored out of 4 marks, and a student could only receive a non-negative integer score. Two students, Ravi and Sumana, took the eight tests. In the first test, Ravi and Sumana scored the same marks. From the second to eighth tests, Ravi scored the exact same non-zero marks. Sumana scored the same marks as Ravi from the fifth test onwards. Ravi's total marks in the first three tests was the same as Sumana's total marks in the first two tests. Also, Sumana's marks in the first test, total marks of the first two tests, and total marks of the eight tests are in a geometric progression.

Question 1 of 3

Which of the following CAN be true?

  1. A.

    Ravi scored 4 marks in the third test

  2. B.

    Sumana scored 2 marks in the first test

  3. C.

    Ravi scored 0 marks in the fifth test

  4. D.

    Sumana scored 3 marks in the second test

  5. E.

    Sumana scored 4 marks in the eighth test

Answer

B

Explanation

Let xx be the score of both in Test 1. Let y∈{1,2,3,4}y \in \{1, 2, 3, 4\} be Ravi's score in Tests 2-8. Ravi's total in first 3 tests = x+2yx + 2y. Sumana's total in first 2 tests = x+2y  ⟹  x + 2y \implies Sumana scored 2y2y in Test 2. Sumana's scores in 8 tests: x,2y,a,b,y,y,y,yx, 2y, a, b, y, y, y, y. Sumana's total in 8 tests = x+2y+a+b+4y=x+a+b+6yx + 2y + a + b + 4y = x + a + b + 6y. GP terms for Sumana: T1=xT_1 = x, T2=x+2yT_2 = x + 2y, T3=x+a+b+6yT_3 = x + a + b + 6y. Since x∈{1,2,3,4}x \in \{1, 2, 3, 4\}, we test possible GPs: Case: x=2,y=1,a+b=0  ⟹  T1=2,T2=4,T3=8x=2, y=1, a+b=0 \implies T_1=2, T_2=4, T_3=8, where Sumana scored x=2x=2 in Test 1. Hence, option B ("Sumana scored 2 marks in the first test") CAN be true.

Question 2 of 3

If Ravi scored 4 marks in the first test, how many marks did Sumana score in the third test?

  1. A.

    3

  2. B.

    0

  3. C.

    1

  4. D.

    4

  5. E.

    2

Answer

B

Explanation

If x=4x = 4, then T1=4T_1 = 4. In the GP (4,8,16)(4, 8, 16) with y=2y = 2 and a+b=0a + b = 0, both a,b≥0  ⟹  a=0a, b \ge 0 \implies a = 0 and b=0b = 0. Sumana's score in the third test is a=0a = 0.

Question 3 of 3

If Ravi scored 1 mark in the second test, what is the maximum possible value of Sumana's total marks in all the eight tests together?

  1. A.

    10

  2. B.

    12

  3. C.

    9

  4. D.

    Cannot be uniquely determined from the given information

  5. E.

    8

Answer

C

Explanation

If y=1y = 1, possible GP cases are: Case 1: x=1,y=1,a+b=2  ⟹  T1=1,T2=3,T3=9x = 1, y = 1, a+b = 2 \implies T_1 = 1, T_2 = 3, T_3 = 9. Case 2: x=2,y=1,a+b=0  ⟹  T1=2,T2=4,T3=8x = 2, y = 1, a+b = 0 \implies T_1 = 2, T_2 = 4, T_3 = 8. Total marks for Sumana in Case 1 = 9. Total marks for Sumana in Case 2 = 8. Maximum possible value is 9.

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