Which region declined — Tables & Charts Aptitude Question
Which region declined: | Region | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |--------|-----|-----|-----|-----| | North | 120 | 140 | 160… Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Tables & Charts
- Section: Data Interpretation
- Difficulty: Hard
- Time target: 105 seconds
Question
| Region | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | 120 | 140 | 160 | 180 |
| South | 200 | 160 | 180 | 220 |
| East | 90 | 110 | 130 | 170 |
| West | 150 | 170 | 150 | 190 |
Which region's sales fell in a quarter after rising in the quarter before?
Options
- North
- South
- East
- West
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: D. West
Worked solution
- North rises every quarter; East rises every quarter.
- South falls once (200 → 160), but that is its first move: there is no earlier quarter it rose from.
- West goes 150 → 170 → 150 → 190: a rise, then a fall of 20 in Q3, then a recovery.
- West is the only region that fell after rising.
Answer: West.
The idea
Walk along each row noting every drop. Regions that rise monotonically can be eliminated at a glance.
Shortcut. Look for any figure smaller than the one before it: North and East never dip, leaving South (200 → 160) and West (170 → 150). The key credits West, the row that dips after a rise and then recovers.
Common trap. "South" — its 200 → 160 drop is the largest fall in the table and catches the eye first; but it is South's opening move, with no earlier quarter to rise from. Only West rises and then falls.