CAT 1994 — QA Question 21
AlligationEasy
Passage / Data
Answer the next 2 questions based on the following information:
If
md(x) = x ,
mn(x,y) = minimum of x and y and
Ma(a,b,c,...) = maximum of a,b,c…
A man buys spirit at Rs. 60 per litre, adds water to it and then sells it at Rs. 75 per litre. What is the ratio of spirit to water if his profit in the deal is 37.5%?
Answer & solution
- A
9 : 1
10 : 1
- C
11 : 1
- D
None of these
Solution
Since SP of spirit and solution water = Rs.75/l and there is a profit of 37.5%, CP of spirit and water solution
= Rs. 54.54/L
This should indeed be the weighted average of the costs of spirit and water. So if we alligate, we can get the ratio of spirit : water (assuming that cost of water is 0).

i.e. 10 : 1.