How many seconds in total are there in x weeks, x days, x hours, x minutes and x seconds?
- (a) 11580x
- (b) 11581x
- (c) 694860x
- (d) 694861x ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• Convert x weeks to seconds: 1 week = 7 days = 168 hours = 604,800 seconds, so x weeks = 604,800x seconds.
• Convert x days to seconds: 1 day = 24 hours = 86,400 seconds, so x days = 86,400x seconds.
• Convert x hours to seconds: 1 hour = 3,600 seconds, so x hours = 3,600x seconds.
• Convert x minutes to seconds: 1 minute = 60 seconds, so x minutes = 60x seconds.
• Add the given x seconds: x seconds = 1x seconds.
• Sum all components: 604,800x + 86,400x + 3,600x + 60x + 1x = 694,861x seconds, which matches option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 11580x
- 11,580x is the total number of minutes in x weeks, x days, x hours, x minutes, and x seconds, not seconds.
- (b) 11581x
- 11,581x is the total number of minutes plus one extra minute, which does not correspond to the total seconds.
- (c) 694860x
- 694,860x is the total seconds excluding the final 'x seconds' term, resulting in an undercount by x.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2022, held on 5 June 2022. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.