Practice 50 CFA Level I Quantitative Methods calculation questions with answers and detailed explanations. Test your skills, review step-by-step solutions, and strengthen your understanding of key quantitative concepts for the CFA exam.
Answer
B. 0.508.
Explanation
Cov = (ρ_AB)(σ_A)(σ_B)
19.37 = (ρ_AB)(4.1)(9.3)
ρ_AB = 0.508
Answer
A. $923.17.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -$600
N = 5
%i = 9
PMT = 0
FV = ? = $923.17
Year 1: $2.1 million
Year 2: $2.2 million
Year 3: $1.6 million
If the discount rate is 7%, the investment's net present value (NPV) is:
Answer
B. $1.79 million.
Explanation
NPV = CF₀ + CF₁/(1+r)¹ + CF₂/(1+r)² + CF₃/(1+r)³
NPV = -$3.40 + $2.10/(1.07)¹
+ $2.20/(1.07)²
+ $1.60/(1.07)³
NPV = -$3.40 + $1.96 + $1.92 + $1.31
NPV = $1.79 million
Answer
A. 10.236%.
Explanation
CV = s / X̄
1.27 = 13% / X̄
X̄ = 10.236%
Answer
B. $33,290.97.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PMT = -$2,000
N = 11
%i = 8
PV = 0
FV = ? = $33,290.97
Answer
B. monthly.
Explanation
The investment company is compounding interest monthly.
EAR = (1 + Periodic Interest Rate)^m – 1
EAR = [1 + (0.06 / 12)]^12 – 1
EAR = 1.06168 – 1
EAR = 0.06168 = 6.17%
Answer
C. $47,205.58.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -30,000
N = 4
%i = 12
PMT = 0
FV = ? = $47,205.58
Answer
A. -1.64%.
Explanation
g = (FVₙ / PV)^(1/n) – 1
g = (6.86 / 7.33)^(1/4) – 1
g = -1.64%
Answer
A. $47,443.78.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
FV = $95,000
N = (7.5)(4) = 30
%i = 9.5/4 = 2.375
PMT = 0
PV = ? = $46,979.26
Answer
B. 1.57.
Explanation
S_h = (R_p – R_f) / S_p
S_h = (15 – 4) / 7 = 1.57
Answer
A. 5.127%.
Explanation
EAR = (1 + Periodic interest rate)^m – 1
EAR = (1 + 0.05 / 365)^365 – 1
EAR = 1.05127 – 1 = 0.05127 = 5.127%
Answer
A. 1.46 days.
Explanation
Short interest ratio = Short interest/Average daily trading volume
Short interest ratio = 5,869,121 shares/4,018,472 shares = 1.46 days
Answer
B. $16,633.21.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PMT = -$2,000
N = (5)(2) = 10
%i = 7/2 = 3.5
FV = 0
PV = ? = $16,633.21
| Investment | Average Annual Return (%) | Standard Deviation of Return (%) |
| — | — | — |
| Security A | 6.8 | 2.2 |
| Security B | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| Security C | 4.4 | 1.2 |
Based on the coefficient of variation, the riskiest investment is:
Answer
B. Security B
Explanation
Security B has the highest coefficient of variation, which implies the greatest level of dispersion around the mean.
CV = s/X̄
CV_A = 2.2%/6.8% = 0.32
CV_B = 1.3%/2.1% = 0.62
CV_C = 1.2%/4.4% = 0.27
Answer
A. 4.08%.
Explanation
Step 1: R̄ = (-2 + 5 – 1 + 6)/4 = 2%
Step 2: s² = [(-2 – 2)² + (5 – 2)² + (-1 – 2)² (6 – 2)²]/(4 – 1) = 16.67
Step 3: s = √16.67 = 4.08%
Answer
A. $75,131.67.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
FV = $150,000
N = (7)(4) = 28
%i = 10/4 = 2.5
PMT = 0
PV = ? = $75,131.67
Answer
B. 4.
Explanation
Pʳₙ = 4!/(4 – 3)!(3)!
Pʳₙ = [(4)(3)(2)(1)]/[(1)(3)(2)(1)] = 24/6 = 4
To verify:
Stock₁, Stock₂, Stock₃
Stock₁, Stock₂, Stock₄
Stock₁, Stock₃, Stock₄
Stock₂, Stock₃, Stock₄
Answer
C. 4.7%.
Explanation
S_h = (R_p – R_f) / S_p
0.55 = (4.6% – 2%) / S_p
S_p = 4.7%
Answer
B. 68%, 95%, 99%.
Explanation
In a normal distribution, 68% of observations lie between plus and minus one standard deviation from the mean, 95% lie between plus and minus two standard deviations from the mean, and 99% lie between plus and minus three standard deviations from the mean.
Answer
C. $34,172 65.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PMT = -$2,000
N = (7)(2) = 14
%i = 6/2 = 3
rv – o
FV = ? = $34,172.65
Answer
A. 10.87%
Explanation
HPR = (P₁ – P₀ + D₁)/P₀
HPR = ($42.30 – $39.10 + $1.05)/$39.10 = 0.1087 = 10.87%
Answer
C. 4.67%.
Explanation
r_BD = (D / F) × (360 / t)
r_BD = ($3,500 / $100,000) × (360 / 270) = 0.0467 = 4.67%
Answer
C. 8.13%.
Explanation
EAY = (1 + HPY)^(365/t) – 1
EAY = (1.055)^(365/250) – 1
EAY = 1.081306 – 1 = 0.0813 = 8.13%
Answer
B. $7,500.
Explanation
PV = A/r
PV = $450/0.06 = $7,500
Answer
C. $37,608.82.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -$4,000
N = 10
%i = 8
PMT = -$2,000
FV = ? = $37,608.82
2012: +9.1%
2013: -1.3%
2014: +2.1%
2015: +10.1%
2016: +13.1%
The geometric mean for the Delta Fund is:
Answer
C. 6.48%.
Explanation
G = [(X₁)(X₂)(X₃)…(Xₙ)]^(1/N) – 1
G = [(1 + 0.091)(1 – 0.013)(1 + 0.021)(1 + 0.101)(1 + 0.131)]^(1/5) – 1
G = [(1.091)(0.987)(1.021)(1.101)(1.131)]^(1/5) – 1
G = (1.369)^(1/5) – 1 = 0.0648 = 6.48%
Answer
B. 0.5.
Explanation
P(A | B)
Conditional probability = 0.04/0.08 = 0.5
Answer
A. $10,152.59.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
FV = $15,000
N = 8
%i = 5
PMT = 0
PV = ? = $10,152.59
Answer
B. 1.43%, 2%, -3%.
Explanation
Mean = [(-3%) + (4%) + (5%) + (-3%) + (2%) + (6%) + (-1%)]/7 = 0.0143 = 1.43%
Median = -3%, -3%, -1%, +2%, +4%, +5%, +6% = 2%
Mode = -3% is the only number that appears twice, therefore it is the mode.
Answer
C. 24.18.
Explanation
Cov = (ρ_AB)(σ_A)(σ_B)
Cov = (0.30)(6.5)(12.4) = 24.18
Answer
C. $18,741.77.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -$10,000
N = (9)(12) = 108 %i = 7/12 = 0.5833
PMT = 0
FV = ? = $18,741.77
Answer
B. 31.74.
Explanation
For a 99% confidence interval use Z₀.₀₀₅ = 2.58
X_u = μ + (2.58)(σ/√n)
Step 1: σ = √441 = 21
Step 2: 24 + (2.58)(21/√49)
Step 3: 24 + 7.74 = 31.74
Answer
A. Security A because it has a lower coefficient of variation.
Explanation
A risk-averse investor would select Security A because it has the lower coefficient of variation.
CV = s/X̄
CV_A = 10%/9% = 1.11
CV_B = 8%/5% = 1.60
| Criteria | Fraction of S&P 100 Stocks Meeting Criteria |
| — | — |
| High Sharpe ratio | 0.45 |
| High Treynor ratio | 0.40 |
| High alpha | 0.25 |
| Low coefficient of variation | 0.50 |
If the criteria are independent, the number of stocks that will pass Linda’s screen is:
Answer
A. 2.
Explanation
P(ABCD) = P(A)P(B)P(C)P(D)
P = (0.45)(0.40)(0.25)(0.50) = 0.0225
Number of stocks passing screen = (0.0225)(100) = 2.25, or 2 stocks
Answer
C. 0.311.
Explanation
σ_X̄ = σ / √n
Step 1: σ = √3.19 = 1.786
Step 2: σ_X̄ = 1.786 / √33 = 0.311
Answer
B. $31,229.85.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
FV = -$50,000
N = (6)(2) = 12
%i = 8/2 = 4
PMT = 0
PV = ? = $31,229.85
Answer
C. $265.21.
Explanation
Price target = Neckline + (Neckline – Head)
Price target = $220.33 + ($220.33 – $175.45) = $265.21
Answer
A. 31.58%.
Explanation
Probability = ($3.40 – $3.10)/($4.05 – $3.10)
Probability = $0.30/$0.95 = 0.3158 = 31.58%
Answer
C. 15.18%.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -$6,000
N = (4)(52) = 208
FV = $11,000
PMT = 0
%i = ? = (0.2918)(52) = 15.18%
| Metric | Value |
| — | — |
| Number of advancing issues | 310 |
| Number of declining issues | 412 |
| Volume of advancing issues | 44,383,384 |
| Volume of declining issues | 87,194,109 |
Given the information provided, the TRIN value of the NYSE is:
Answer
A. 1.48.
Explanation
TRIN = (Number of advancing issues / Number of declining issues) / (Volume of advancing issues / Volume of declining issues)
TRIN = (310 / 412) / (44,383,384 / 87,194,109) = 1.48
| Probability | EPS ($) |
| — | — |
| 0.25 | 3.00 |
| 0.25 | 3.10 |
| 0.50 | 3.20 |
The expected value of Kappa Corporation’s EPS is:
Answer
C. $3.13.
Explanation
E(X) = P(X₁)X₁ + P(X₂)X₂ + P(X₃)X₃
EPS = (0.25)($3.00) + (0.25)($3.10) + (0.50)($3.20)
EPS = $0.75 + $0.775 + $1.60 = $3.125 = $3.13
Answer
A. $41.62.
Explanation
Price target = Neckline – (Head – Neckline)
Price target = $48.37 – ($55.12 – $48.37) = $41.62
Answer
B. $4,620.50.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
FV = -$15,000
N =3
%i = 8
PV = 0
PMT = ? = $4,620.50
| Asset Class | Asset Allocation (%) | Asset Class Return (%) |
| — | — | — |
| Domestic equities | 40.0 | +10.0 |
| International equities | 20.0 | –4.0 |
| Corporate bonds | 30.0 | +6.0 |
| Money market funds | 10.0 | +2.0 |
The portfolio’s weighted average return for 2016 is:
Answer
B. 5.2%.
Explanation
R_p = w_1 R_1 + w_2 R_2 + w_3 R_3 + w_4 R_4
R_p = (0.40)(0.10) + (0.20)(-0.04) + (0.30)(0.06) + (0.10)(0.02) = 0.052 = 5.2%
Answer
A. 14.4%.
Explanation
Notation used on most financial calculators:
PV = -$700
N = 4
FV = $1,200
PMT = 0
%i = ? = 14.4%
Answer
B. $114.38.
Explanation
Price target = Neckline – (Second top – Neckline)
Price target = $115.39 – ($116.40 – $115.39) = $114.38
Answer
B. 2.04%.
Explanation
i = ($1,000 – $980) / $980 = 0.0204 = 2.04%
Answer
A. 0.50, 0.62.
Explanation
SFRatio = [E(R_P) – R_L] / σ_P
SFRatio for Portfolio 1 = (9% – 3%) / 12% = 0.50
SFRatio for Portfolio 2 = (11% – 3%) / 13% = 0.62
Answer
B. 0.238.
Explanation
Probability = (0.62)(0.62)(0.62) = 0.238
Answer
B. $965.72.
Explanation
FV_N = PV(1 + r)^N
$1,000 = PV(1.0355)
PV = $965.72
