PAST PAPER Research & Statistical Officer PPSC [SOLVED]
1. What is the primary purpose of statistics?
A) To collect data
B) To analyze data
C) To present data
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
2. In a normal distribution, what percentage of the data falls within one standard deviation of the mean?
A) 50%
B) 68%
C) 75%
D) 95%
Answer: B) 68%
3. What is the main objective of economics?
A) To study human behavior
B) To analyze production and consumption
C) To optimize resource allocation
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
4. Which of the following is a macroeconomic indicator?
A) GDP
B) Unemployment rate
C) Inflation rate
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
5. What does GDP stand for?
A) General Domestic Product
B) Gross Domestic Product
C) Government Domestic Product
D) Gross Development Product
Answer: B) Gross Domestic Product
6. In statistics, what is the median?
A) The average of all values
B) The value that separates the higher half from the lower half
C) The most frequently occurring value
D) None of the above
Answer: B) The value that separates the higher half from the lower half
7. What is the main focus of microeconomics?
A) National economy
B) Individual consumers and businesses
C) Global economy
D) Government policies
Answer: B) Individual consumers and businesses
8. Which of the following is not a factor of production?
A) Labor
B) Capital
C) Government
D) Land
Answer: C) Government
9. What is the primary goal of a business organization?
A) To maximize profit
B) To provide jobs
C) To promote social welfare
D) To minimize costs
Answer: A) To maximize profit
10. Which statistical measure indicates the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables?
A) Mean
B) Median
C) Correlation coefficient
D) Standard deviation
Answer: C) Correlation coefficient
11. What is the significance of a p-value in hypothesis testing?
A) It measures the strength of evidence against the null hypothesis
B) It determines the sample size needed
C) It indicates the type of test to use
D) It shows the distribution of data
Answer: A) It measures the strength of evidence against the null hypothesis
12. In economics, what is inflation?
A) A decrease in the general price level
B) An increase in the general price level
C) A stable price level
D) None of the above
Answer: B) An increase in the general price level
13. What is a demand curve?
A) A graph showing the relationship between price and quantity demanded
B) A graph showing the relationship between price and quantity supplied
C) A horizontal line
D) None of the above
Answer: A) A graph showing the relationship between price and quantity demanded
14. What does the term “opportunity cost” refer to?
A) The cost of producing one more unit
B) The value of the next best alternative foregone
C) The total cost of production
D) None of the above
Answer: B) The value of the next best alternative foregone
15. Which of the following is a common method of data collection in statistics?
A) Surveys
B) Experiments
C) Observations
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
16. In which market structure do many firms sell identical products?
A) Monopoly
B) Oligopoly
C) Perfect competition
D) Monopolistic competition
Answer: C) Perfect competition
17. What is the main purpose of a business plan?
A) To outline a company’s goals and strategies
B) To analyze competitors
C) To secure funding
D) Both A and C
Answer: D) Both A and C
18. What is the coefficient of variation?
A) A measure of central tendency
B) A measure of dispersion
C) A measure of correlation
D) None of the above
Answer: B) A measure of dispersion
19. Which type of sampling involves dividing the population into subgroups?
A) Random sampling
B) Stratified sampling
C) Systematic sampling
D) Cluster sampling
Answer: B) Stratified sampling
20. What is a major advantage of using secondary data?
A) It is always up-to-date
B) It is less expensive to obtain
C) It is more accurate
D) It requires more time
Answer: B) It is less expensive to obtain
21. Which economic system is characterized by private ownership and free markets?
A) Socialism
B) Communism
C) Capitalism
D) Mercantilism
Answer: C) Capitalism
22. What does SWOT analysis stand for?
A) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
B) Strategies, Weaknesses, Options, Techniques
C) Systems, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Trends
D) Strengths, Wealth, Objectives, Tactics
Answer: A) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
23. In statistics, what is a sample?
A) The entire population
B) A subset of the population
C) A type of data collection
D) None of the above
Answer: B) A subset of the population
24. Which of the following is a characteristic of monopolistic competition?
A) Single seller
B) Many buyers and sellers
C) Homogeneous products
D) Barriers to entry
Answer: B) Many buyers and sellers
25. What does the term “liquidity” refer to in finance?
A) The ability to pay debts
B) The ease of converting assets into cash
C) The profitability of investments
D) The total value of assets
Answer: B) The ease of converting assets into cash
26. Which of the following is not a feature of a budget?
A) Planning
B) Control
C) Forecasting
D) Arbitrary
Answer: D) Arbitrary
27. In statistics, which measure is used to determine the spread of data around the mean?
A) Mode
B) Median
C) Range
D) Standard deviation
Answer: D) Standard deviation
28. What is the primary focus of behavioral economics?
A) Consumer behavior
B) Market structures
C) Government policies
D) Resource allocation
Answer: A) Consumer behavior
29. What is regression analysis used for?
A) To forecast future values
B) To determine relationships between variables
C) To identify trends
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
30. Which of the following is an example of a fixed cost?
A) Raw materials
B) Labor
C) Rent
D) Utilities
Answer: C) Rent
31. What does the term “market equilibrium” refer to?
A) When supply equals demand
B) When prices are fixed
C) When consumer preferences change
D) None of the above
Answer: A) When supply equals demand
32. What is the primary role of a central bank?
A) To regulate the stock market
B) To issue currency and control monetary policy
C) To manage government budgets
D) To provide loans to consumers
Answer: B) To issue currency and control monetary policy
33. Which of the following best defines “elasticity” in economics?
A) A measure of responsiveness to changes in price
B) A measure of consumer satisfaction
C) A measure of economic growth
D) None of the above
Answer: A) A measure of responsiveness to changes in price
34. In a supply and demand graph, which curve shifts when there is a change in consumer preferences?
A) Supply curve
B) Demand curve
C) Price curve
D) Quantity curve
Answer: B) Demand curve
35. What is a primary function of marketing?
A) To produce goods
B) To distribute products
C) To identify customer needs
D) To set prices
Answer: C) To identify customer needs
36. Which of the following is a quantitative research method?
A) Surveys
B) Interviews
C) Focus groups
D) Case studies
Answer: A) Surveys
37. What is the function of the income statement?
A) To show cash flows
B) To summarize revenues and expenses
C) To present financial position
D) None of the above
Answer: B) To summarize revenues and expenses
38. In statistics, what is the mode?
A) The average value
B) The middle value
C) The most frequently occurring value
D) None of the above
Answer: C) The most frequently occurring value
39. What is the law of demand?
A) As price increases, quantity demanded decreases
B) As price decreases, quantity demanded decreases
C) As price increases, quantity demanded increases
D) None of the above
Answer: A) As price increases, quantity demanded decreases
40. What does “ROI” stand for in business?
A) Return on Investment
B) Rate of Income
C) Revenue on Investment
D) Return on Income
Answer: A) Return on Investment
41. In regression analysis, what does R-squared measure?
A) The strength of the relationship between independent and dependent variables
B) The mean of the dependent variable
C) The standard deviation of the dependent variable
D) The correlation between two independent variables
Answer: A) The strength of the relationship between independent and dependent variables
42. What is a common method for analyzing qualitative data?
A) Statistical software
B) Thematic analysis
C) Numerical analysis
D) Regression analysis
Answer: B) Thematic analysis
43. Which financial statement provides a snapshot of a company’s financial position at a specific point in time?
A) Income statement
B) Balance sheet
C) Cash flow statement
D) Statement of changes in equity
Answer: B) Balance sheet
44. What is the primary goal of human resource management?
A) To minimize costs
B) To manage employees effectively
C) To increase sales
D) To promote company products
Answer: B) To manage employees effectively
45. In economics, what is the difference between “nominal” and “real” values?
A) Nominal values are adjusted for inflation, while real values are not
B) Real values are adjusted for inflation, while nominal values are not
C) Both terms refer to the same measurement
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Real values are adjusted for inflation, while nominal values are not
46. What does “market segmentation” refer to?
A) Dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers
B) Merging different markets
C) Analyzing competitor strategies
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers
47. In finance, what is “leverage”?
A) The use of borrowed funds to increase potential returns
B) The process of reducing debt
C) The increase in equity
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The use of borrowed funds to increase potential returns
48. Which of the following is an example of qualitative data?
A) Number of sales
B) Customer satisfaction ratings
C) Age of customers
D) Income levels
Answer: B) Customer satisfaction ratings
49. What does the term “fiscal policy” refer to?
A) Government spending and taxation policies
B) Monetary policies of central banks
C) Regulation of industries
D) Trade agreements
Answer: A) Government spending and taxation policies
50. What is the primary advantage of using a budget?
A) It increases revenue
B) It helps in financial planning and control
C) It reduces costs
D) It eliminates risks
Answer: B) It helps in financial planning and control
51. Which of the following methods is commonly used for forecasting in business?
A) Qualitative methods
B) Time series analysis
C) Regression analysis
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
52. What is the purpose of a cash flow statement?
A) To summarize revenues and expenses
B) To provide information about cash inflows and outflows
C) To present financial position
D) None of the above
Answer: B) To provide information about cash inflows and outflows
53. In statistics, what is a null hypothesis?
A) A statement that there is no effect or no difference
B) A statement that there is an effect or a difference
C) A conclusion based on sample data
D) None of the above
Answer: A) A statement that there is no effect or no difference
54. Which of the following is a characteristic of a monopoly?
A) Many firms
B) Identical products
C) Single seller
D) Low barriers to entry
Answer: C) Single seller
55. In business, what is a “value proposition”?
A) The price of a product
B) The benefits a company offers to its customers
C) The cost of production
D) The market share
Answer: B) The benefits a company offers to its customers
56. What is the difference between “quantitative” and “qualitative” research?
A) Quantitative research focuses on numbers, while qualitative research focuses on descriptions
B) Qualitative research is more accurate than quantitative research
C) Both are the same
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Quantitative research focuses on numbers, while qualitative research focuses on descriptions
57. In finance, what is “working capital”?
A) The total assets of a company
B) The difference between current assets and current liabilities
C) The total equity of a company
D) The cash flow generated by operations
Answer: B) The difference between current assets and current liabilities
58. What is the primary function of supply chain management?
A) To optimize production processes
B) To manage the flow of goods and services
C) To increase sales
D) To minimize costs
Answer: B) To manage the flow of goods and services
59. What does “peer-reviewed” mean in research?
A) The research has been published without evaluation
B) The research has been evaluated by experts in the field
C) The research is conducted by peers
D) None of the above
Answer: B) The research has been evaluated by experts in the field
60. What is the main goal of price discrimination?
A) To charge different prices to different consumers
B) To maximize sales
C) To eliminate competition
D) None of the above
Answer: A) To charge different prices to different consumers
61. What is a key characteristic of a corporate strategy?
A) It focuses on short-term goals
B) It outlines the overall direction of the company
C) It is not related to marketing
D) None of the above
Answer: B) It outlines the overall direction of the company
62. What does “business ethics” refer to?
A) Legal requirements for businesses
B) Moral principles guiding business practices
C) Economic policies of a government
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Moral principles guiding business practices
63. In statistics, what is a confidence interval?
A) A range of values that is likely to contain the population parameter
B) The average value of a sample
C) The difference between two means
D) None of the above
Answer: A) A range of values that is likely to contain the population parameter
64. What is the purpose of a feasibility study?
A) To determine the financial viability of a project
B) To analyze market trends
C) To establish a budget
D) None of the above
Answer: A) To determine the financial viability of a project
65. What is a “break-even point”?
A) The point at which total revenue equals total costs
B) The point at which profits are maximized
C) The point at which sales decrease
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The point at which total revenue equals total costs
66. In finance, what is “asset allocation”?
A) Distributing investments among different asset classes
B) Allocating resources to production
C) Setting a budget for each department
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Distributing investments among different asset classes
67. What does “consumer surplus” refer to?
A) The difference between what consumers are willing to pay and what they actually pay
B) The total revenue from sales
C) The cost of production
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The difference between what consumers are willing to pay and what they actually pay
68. In business, what is “brand equity”?
A) The total assets of a brand
B) The value added to a product by having a well-known brand name
C) The cost of marketing
D) None of the above
Answer: B) The value added to a product by having a well-known brand name
69. What is the main focus of operations management?
A) Financial planning
B) Production and delivery of goods and services
C) Human resource management
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Production and delivery of goods and services
70. What is “supply chain integration”?
A) The process of aligning supply chain processes with business strategies
B) The merging of different companies
C) The analysis of supply chain costs
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The process of aligning supply chain processes with business strategies
71. What is a key benefit of conducting market research?
A) It guarantees success
B) It provides insights into consumer preferences
C) It eliminates competition
D) None of the above
Answer: B) It provides insights into consumer preferences
72. In economics, what does “opportunity cost” refer to?
A) The cost of the next best alternative forgone
B) The total cost of production
C) The average cost of all alternatives
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The cost of the next best alternative forgone
73. What is the primary purpose of performance appraisal in HR?
A) To evaluate employee performance
B) To determine salary increases
C) To promote teamwork
D) None of the above
Answer: A) To evaluate employee performance
74. In finance, what is “diversification”?
A) Investing in a single asset
B) Spreading investments across different asset classes to reduce risk
C) Eliminating all risks
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Spreading investments across different asset classes to reduce risk
75. What does “total quality management” (TQM) focus on?
A) Increasing sales
B) Continuous improvement in quality and customer satisfaction
C) Reducing costs
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Continuous improvement in quality and customer satisfaction
76. In statistics, what is a “p-value”?
A) The probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as the observed results, given that the null hypothesis is true
B) The mean of the sample data
C) The standard deviation of the sample
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as the observed results, given that the null hypothesis is true
77. What is the primary purpose of an annual report?
A) To provide financial statements to shareholders
B) To announce new products
C) To discuss employee benefits
D) None of the above
Answer: A) To provide financial statements to shareholders
78. In economics, what does “elasticity” measure?
A) The responsiveness of quantity demanded or supplied to changes in price
B) The total demand for a product
C) The average income of consumers
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The responsiveness of quantity demanded or supplied to changes in price
79. What does “human capital” refer to?
A) The financial resources of a company
B) The skills and knowledge of employees
C) The total assets of a company
D) None of the above
Answer: B) The skills and knowledge of employees
80. What is a “marketing mix”?
A) The blend of product, price, place, and promotion strategies
B) The total number of products offered
C) The diversity of marketing channels
D) None of the above
Answer: A) The blend of product, price, place, and promotion strategies
81. Which of the following is the capital city of Pakistan?
A) Lahore
B) Karachi
C) Islamabad
D) Peshawar
Answer: C) Islamabad
82. Who is known as the “Father of the Nation” in Pakistan?
A) Allama Iqbal
B) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
C) Liaquat Ali Khan
D) Benazir Bhutto
Answer: B) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
83. What is the official currency of Pakistan?
A) Dollar
B) Rupee
C) Euro
D) Pound
Answer: B) Rupee
84. Which river is known as the “Lifeline of Pakistan”?
A) Indus River
B) Chenab River
C) Ravi River
D) Jhelum River
Answer: A) Indus River
85. The largest province of Pakistan by area is:
A) Sindh
B) Punjab
C) Balochistan
D) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Answer: C) Balochistan
86. Which of the following is a major export of Pakistan?
A) Electronics
B) Textiles
C) Oil
D) Automobiles
Answer: B) Textiles
87. What is the approximate population of Pakistan as of 2023?
A) 100 million
B) 220 million
C) 300 million
D) 150 million
Answer: B) 220 million
88. In which year did Pakistan become an independent country?
A) 1947
B) 1956
C) 1965
D) 1971
Answer: A) 1947
89. Which of the following planets is known as the “Red Planet”?
A) Venus
B) Mars
C) Jupiter
D) Saturn
Answer: B) Mars
90. The study of Earth and its features, inhabitants, and phenomena is called:
A) Biology
B) Geography
C) Physics
D) Chemistry
Answer: B) Geography
91. In English, the word “benevolent” means:
A) Kind and generous
B) Hostile
C) Indifferent
D) Greedy
Answer: A) Kind and generous
92. What is the square root of 64?
A) 6
B) 7
C) 8
D) 9
Answer: C) 8
93. Which of the following is an example of a computer input device?
A) Monitor
B) Printer
C) Keyboard
D) Speaker
Answer: C) Keyboard
94. What is the main function of the CPU in a computer?
A) Store data
B) Process data
C) Display output
D) Connect to the internet
Answer: B) Process data
95. The term “biodiversity” refers to:
A) Variety of species in a particular habitat
B) The number of ecosystems
C) Genetic variation within a population
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
96. Which of the following is an organ in the human body?
A) Heart
B) Blood
C) Plasma
D) Tissue
Answer: A) Heart
97. In Urdu, the word “Ù…Øبت” means:
A) Love
B) Hate
C) Friendship
D) Anger
Answer: A) Love
98. Which continent is known as the “Dark Continent”?
A) Asia
B) Africa
C) Europe
D) Australia
Answer: B) Africa
99. The capital of the United States is:
A) New York
B) Washington, D.C.
C) Los Angeles
D) Chicago
Answer: B) Washington, D.C.
100. The sum of angles in a triangle is:
A) 90 degrees
B) 180 degrees
C) 360 degrees
D) 270 degrees
Answer: B) 180 degrees