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Caselet / Paragraph-Based DI

Introduction

In Caselet / Paragraph-Based Data Interpretation, all data appears inside a short paragraph (a caselet) rather than in neat tables or charts. You must carefully extract numbers, relationships and constraints from sentences, convert them into small equations or a mini-table, and then compute the required result.

This pattern tests both reading comprehension and numerical accuracy - misreading a phrase or missing a unit is a common cause of error.

Pattern: Caselet / Paragraph-Based DI

Pattern

Key concept: Convert sentences into structured data (variables/table/equations) before calculating.

Reliable approach: (1) Extract numeric facts and units, (2) write relationships as equations, (3) build a tiny table or variable list, (4) compute step-by-step and perform a final arithmetic check.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Last month a large bookstore in the city recorded total sales of ₹5,00,000. The manager reported that fiction sales accounted for 40% of total sales. Non-fiction sales were ₹1,20,000 and the manager also stated that non-fiction was exactly ₹30,000 more than the combined sales of children's and academic books. Further, the manager clarified that children’s sales formed exactly one-third of the combined children’s + academic sales (i.e., children’s sales = one third of that combined amount). Using only the information given above, find the amount (in rupees) obtained from children’s books last month.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Extract numbers and units:

    Total sales = ₹5,00,000.
    Fiction = 40% of total.
    Non-fiction = ₹1,20,000.
    Non-fiction - (children + academic) = ₹30,000 → so (children + academic) = Non-fiction - 30,000.
    Children’s sales = 1/3 of (children + academic).

  2. Step 2: Compute known category values:

    Fiction = 40% of 5,00,000 = 0.40 × 5,00,000 = ₹2,00,000.
    Given Non-fiction = ₹1,20,000 (already provided).

  3. Step 3: Find combined children + academic:

    children + academic = Non-fiction - 30,000 = 1,20,000 - 30,000 = ₹90,000.

  4. Step 4: Use the children’s fraction:

    Children’s sales = (1/3) × (children + academic) = (1/3) × 90,000 = ₹30,000.

  5. Step 5: Final consistency check:

    Verify category sums: Fiction (2,00,000) + Non-fiction (1,20,000) + (children + academic) (90,000) = 2,00,000 + 1,20,000 + 90,000 = ₹4,10,000. Total sales reported were ₹5,00,000, so the remaining ₹90,000 corresponds to other categories not described in the caselet - this does not affect the children’s value calculated from given relationships.

  6. Final Answer:

    ₹30,000 (children’s books).

  7. Quick Check:

    children + academic = 90,000 → children = 1/3 of 90,000 = 30,000. Non-fiction is 1,20,000 which is 30,000 more than 90,000 → condition satisfied ✅.

Quick Variations

1. A caselet giving percentages for multiple categories plus one absolute value - convert % to rupees and subtract.

2. A paragraph with pairwise relations (A is 20% more than B; B is 10% less than C) - set variables and solve sequentially.

3. Monthly figures embedded in prose - extract month-wise numbers into a mini-table before computing annual totals.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Read the paragraph twice: first for context, second to extract all numbers and relationships.
  • Step 2 → Immediately write a tiny table or list of variables (e.g., Total = …, Fiction = …, C + A = …).
  • Step 3 → Do algebra / arithmetic step-by-step and run a final sum/unit check to verify consistency.

Summary

Summary

In the Caselet / Paragraph-Based DI pattern:

  • Carefully extract every numeric fact and its unit from the paragraph.
  • Translate relational sentences into equations or a tiny table (e.g., A = 40% of Total, B + C = ...).
  • Avoid making unstated assumptions; only use information explicitly given.
  • Compute step-by-step and include a final arithmetic/sum check to verify consistency.
  • When a remainder appears, recognise it as an implied 'other' category unless the caselet specifies otherwise.

Practice

(1/5)
1.

Bookstore Monthly Sales

Last month a busy bookstore reported total sales of ₹6,00,000. The manager said fiction accounted for 35% of total sales. Non-fiction sales were reported as ₹1,50,000, and he added that non-fiction was exactly ₹40,000 more than the combined sales of children’s and academic books. Finally, the manager noted that children’s sales were exactly half of the combined children’s + academic amount. Using ONLY the information above, find the amount obtained from children’s books last month.

easy
A. ₹55,000
B. ₹45,000
C. ₹60,000
D. ₹50,000

Solution

  1. Step 1: Extract known values:

    Total = ₹6,00,000. Fiction = 35% of total. Non-fiction = ₹1,50,000. Non-fiction - (children + academic) = ₹40,000. Children = 1/2 × (children + academic).

  2. Step 2: Compute fiction and combined children+academic:

    Fiction = 0.35 × 6,00,000 = ₹2,10,000.
    children + academic = Non-fiction - 40,000 = 1,50,000 - 40,000 = ₹1,10,000.

  3. Step 3: Find children’s sales:

    Children = 1/2 × 1,10,000 = ₹55,000.

  4. Final Answer:

    ₹55,000 → Option A.

  5. Quick Check:

    children + academic = 1,10,000; Non-fiction (1,50,000) is 40,000 more than 1,10,000 ✅

Hint: Translate 'X is Y more than (A + B)' into (A + B) = X - Y, then apply given fractions.
Common Mistakes: Forgetting to convert percentages to rupees before combining with absolute amounts.
2.

Factory Production Mix

A factory produced 50,000 units this quarter across four product lines. The operations manager told you product A made up 40% of total production and product B made up 30%. The remaining units were split between C and D; of these remaining units, product C constituted 60% while D formed the rest. Using the information given, how many units of product C were produced?

easy
A. 8,000 units
B. 9,000 units
C. 10,000 units
D. 12,000 units

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify totals and percentages:

    Total production = 50,000 units. A = 40% → 0.40 × 50,000 = 20,000 units. B = 30% → 15,000 units.

  2. Step 2: Find remaining units and C’s share:

    Remaining = 50,000 - (20,000 + 15,000) = 15,000 units. C = 60% of remaining = 0.60 × 15,000 = 9,000 units.

  3. Final Answer:

    9,000 units → Option B.

  4. Quick Check:

    C + D = 15,000; C = 9,000, D = 6,000 → sums to 50,000 ✅

Hint: Subtract the big percentages first to get the remainder, then apply the given split.
Common Mistakes: Applying C's 60% to total instead of to the remaining portion.
3.

Corporate Revenue Split

Company Z reported annual revenue of ₹12,00,000 last year. In the management summary it was stated that Product A contributed 40% of the revenue. The CFO noted that Product B’s revenue was 20% less than Product A’s revenue. Based on these statements alone, what was Product B’s revenue?

easy
A. ₹3,60,000
B. ₹4,00,000
C. ₹3,84,000
D. ₹3,20,000

Solution

  1. Step 1: Compute Product A’s revenue:

    A = 40% of 12,00,000 = 0.40 × 12,00,000 = ₹4,80,000.

  2. Step 2: Compute Product B (20% less than A):

    B = A × (1 - 0.20) = 4,80,000 × 0.80 = ₹3,84,000.

  3. Final Answer:

    ₹3,84,000 → Option C.

  4. Quick Check:

    20% of 4,80,000 = 96,000 → 4,80,000 - 96,000 = 3,84,000 ✅

Hint: When something is 'X% less', multiply by (1 - X/100) of the reference value.
Common Mistakes: Subtracting percent of total instead of percent of the referenced category.
4.

Hospital Admissions Breakdown

Over a year a city hospital recorded 24,000 admissions. The medical report said that 60% of admissions were inpatients (the rest were outpatients). Of the inpatients, 55% were male and the remainder female. The female inpatients included pediatric cases that made up 20% of the female inpatient group; the rest were adult females. Using only these figures, how many adult female inpatients did the hospital have that year?

medium
A. 5,000
B. 6,480
C. 1,296
D. 5,184

Solution

  1. Step 1: Compute inpatients:

    Inpatients = 60% of 24,000 = 0.60 × 24,000 = 14,400.

  2. Step 2: Find female inpatients:

    Female% = 100% - 55% = 45% → Female inpatients = 0.45 × 14,400 = 6,480.

  3. Step 3: Subtract pediatric females to get adult females:

    Pediatric females = 20% of 6,480 = 0.20 × 6,480 = 1,296.
    Adult female inpatients = 6,480 - 1,296 = 5,184.

  4. Final Answer:

    5,184 → Option D.

  5. Quick Check:

    6,480 × 0.8 = 5,184 (adult females) ✅

Hint: Work top-down: total → inpatient → female proportion → subtract subgroup to get the required subgroup.
Common Mistakes: Mixing male/female percentages or applying pediatric% to total instead of female subset.
5.

Product Revenue Relationships

A company reported total annual sales of ₹10,00,000 across products A, B, C and D. The annual statement indicated that product A contributed exactly 30% of total sales. The CFO further said product B’s revenue was twice product C’s revenue, and product D’s revenue equalled 50% of product B’s revenue. Using only these relationships, determine product C’s revenue.

medium
A. ₹1,75,000
B. ₹1,50,000
C. ₹2,00,000
D. ₹1,00,000

Solution

  1. Step 1: Compute A and remainder:

    A = 30% of 10,00,000 = 0.30 × 10,00,000 = ₹3,00,000. Remaining for B + C + D = 10,00,000 - 3,00,000 = ₹7,00,000.

  2. Step 2: Express B and D in terms of C:

    B = 2C. D = 50% of B = 0.5 × B = 0.5 × 2C = 1C.

  3. Step 3: Sum B + C + D in terms of C:

    B + C + D = 2C + C + 1C = 4C. This equals ₹7,00,000 → 4C = 7,00,000 → C = 7,00,000 ÷ 4 = ₹1,75,000.

  4. Final Answer:

    ₹1,75,000 → Option A.

  5. Quick Check:

    B = 2 × 1,75,000 = 3,50,000; D = 0.5B = 1,75,000; Sum B+C+D = 3,50,000 + 1,75,000 + 1,75,000 = 7,00,000 ✅

Hint: Write all unknowns in terms of one variable (C) using given ratios, then solve from the remainder.
Common Mistakes: Forgetting D depends on B (50% of B), not on C directly, so form equations first.

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