Pariksha SaathiPie Chart Solved Questions
A pie chart is Data Interpretation with the categories expressed as a share of 360° instead of a plain table — the arithmetic underneath is the same percentage work, just one extra conversion step when a question gives degrees instead of a percentage directly. This page covers that conversion, comparing categories by ratio, the risk of comparing percentages across two different charts, and finding a missing category, with several fully worked examples.
Written by Mahesh Srivastava, Founder of Pariksha Saathi. Published: 2026-10-05. Editorial standards & corrections
The concept, quickly
- Every pie chart totals 360° (a full circle) and 100% — each category’s slice is a percentage of the whole, or equivalently a fraction of 360°.
- If a category’s percentage is given directly, its value = (percentage/100) × total. If its angle (in degrees) is given instead, first convert: percentage = (angle/360) × 100.
- To combine two or more categories, add their percentages (or their degrees) first, then apply the total once — don’t calculate each category’s value separately and add those, since rounding can creep in.
- To find a category that isn’t stated directly, subtract the sum of the given percentages (or degrees) from 100% (or 360°).
- To compare two categories within the SAME pie chart, you can skip converting to rupee values entirely and just compare their angles or percentages as a ratio — e.g. if Rent is 30% and Food is 25% of the same chart, Rent : Food = 30 : 25 = 6 : 5, regardless of what the total actually is.
- Comparing the SAME category across two DIFFERENT pie charts (such as two different years) by percentage alone can be misleading if the totals differ — a smaller percentage of a much larger total can still be a bigger actual amount than a larger percentage of a smaller total. Always convert both to actual values before comparing across charts.
Worked examples
1. A family’s monthly expenses of ₹40,000 are distributed as: Rent 30%, Food 25%, Transport 15%, Savings 20%, Other 10%. Find the amount spent on Food.
Solution
- Food = 25% of ₹40,000.
- = (25/100) × 40,000 = ₹10,000.
Answer: ₹10,000
2. Using the same expense distribution (Rent 30%, Food 25%, Transport 15%, Savings 20%, Other 10%, total ₹40,000), find the amount spent on Rent and Transport combined.
Solution
- Combine the percentages first: Rent + Transport = 30% + 15% = 45%.
- 45% of ₹40,000 = (45/100) × 40,000 = ₹18,000.
Answer: ₹18,000
3. In a pie chart, the angle representing a company’s Marketing budget is 72°. If the total budget is ₹15,00,000, find the amount allocated to Marketing.
Solution
- Convert the angle to a percentage: (72/360) × 100 = 20%.
- 20% of ₹15,00,000 = (20/100) × 15,00,000 = ₹3,00,000.
Answer: ₹3,00,000
4. Using the same company budget (total ₹15,00,000), if R&D is allocated 90° and Operations is allocated 108°, find the combined percentage of R&D and Operations.
Solution
- Combine the degrees first: 90° + 108° = 198°.
- Convert to a percentage: (198/360) × 100 = 55%.
Answer: 55%
5. Using the same family expense chart (Rent 30%, Food 25%, Transport 15%, Savings 20%, Other 10%), find the ratio of the amount spent on Rent to the amount spent on Food.
Solution
- Since both are percentages of the SAME total, their ratio is just the ratio of the percentages: 30 : 25.
- Simplify: 30 : 25 = 6 : 5.
Answer: 6 : 5
6. In Year 1 (total budget ₹10,00,000), Marketing was 20% of the budget. In Year 2 (total budget ₹15,00,000), Marketing was 15% of the budget. Did the actual amount spent on Marketing increase or decrease?
Solution
- Year 1 amount = 20% of 10,00,000 = ₹2,00,000.
- Year 2 amount = 15% of 15,00,000 = ₹2,25,000.
- Even though the percentage fell from 20% to 15%, the actual amount spent increased (₹2,00,000 → ₹2,25,000), because the total budget grew by more than the percentage shrank.
Answer: Increased (₹2,00,000 to ₹2,25,000), despite the percentage falling
7. In a pie chart, four categories take up 80°, 100°, 70° and 60°. Find the degree and the percentage of the fifth (unstated) category.
Solution
- Sum of the known degrees = 80 + 100 + 70 + 60 = 310°.
- Remaining degree = 360° − 310° = 50°.
- Percentage = (50/360) × 100 ≈ 13.9%.
Answer: 50°, ≈ 13.9%
Try these yourself
Convert degrees to percentages first if needed, then check against the answer.
1. Using the same family expense distribution (Rent 30%, Food 25%, Transport 15%, Savings 20%, Other 10%, total ₹40,000), find the amount spent on Savings.
Answer: ₹8,000
2. In a pie chart, the angle representing a department’s budget is 54°. If the total budget is ₹20,00,000, find the amount allocated.
Answer: ₹3,00,000
3. Using the same company budget (total ₹15,00,000) with Marketing at 72°, R&D at 90°, and Operations at 108°, find the degree allocated to the remaining categories combined.
Answer: 90°
4. Using the same family expense chart, find the ratio of the amount spent on Transport to the amount spent on Savings.
Answer: 3 : 4. Ratio of percentages: 15:20.
5. In Year 1 (total ₹8,00,000), R&D was 25% of the budget. In Year 2 (total ₹6,00,000), R&D was 30%. Find the actual amount in each year and state whether it increased or decreased.
Answer: Year 1 = ₹2,00,000; Year 2 = ₹1,80,000 — decreased, despite the percentage rising from 25% to 30%.
6. In a pie chart, four categories take up 90°, 60°, 75° and 45°. Find the degree of the fifth category.
Answer: 90°. 360 − (90+60+75+45).
7. In a pie chart representing a budget of ₹24,00,000, a department is allocated 45°. Find the amount allocated.
Answer: ₹3,00,000. (45/360)×100 = 12.5%; 12.5% of 24,00,000.
All 14 practice questions on Pie Chart, with answers →
Where this comes up
Pie Chart is tested directly in the Quantitative/Numerical Aptitude section of exams Pariksha Saathi covers — SSC CGL, SSC MTS, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO and SBI Clerk — as a standard Data Interpretation format alongside tables and bar graphs.
Keep practising
Solve the questions above before opening the answers. Explain each step in your own words, then revisit any mistakes.
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