XAT 2017 — Decision Making Question 21
Analyse the following caselet and answer the question that follows:
Shyam prepares and sells piping hot puri and sabji (gravy) from 7:00 am to 9:00 am (both inclusive) through a stall at XLRI campus. Presently, he has just a single oven, which can do only one job at a time. It takes 30 minutes to cook one handi (a large bowl) of sabji, sufficient for 12 customers. It takes him 10 minutes to prepare 2 plates of puri at a time. While the cost of a plate of puri-sabji is â¹10, the price is â¹25. Puri stays hot for only 5 minutes after preparation, while sabji stays hot for 30 minutes only. It takes 10 minutes to reheat the sabji which stays hot for another 30 minutes. If he brings a handi of hot sabji from home, the transport would cost him â¹50. It can also stay hot for 30 minutes excluding the transportation time. Currently, every 20 minutes five plates are ordered. All unsold quantities are distributed at cost after 9:30 am.
Shyam’s stall was becoming popular by the day. Now he gets 5 customers every 10 minutes. After buying a second oven, he employed a helping hand, Aman at â¹100 for two hours. Aman can cook one handi of sabji in 20 minutes or can prepare 3 plates of puri in 10 minutes. Reheat time for sabji is 10 minutes. None of them can work on both the ovens simultaneously.Which of the following options will help Shyam maximize his daily profit, if he does NOT bring sabji from home?
Answer & solution
- A
Shyam should dismiss Aman because his wage are more than the benefits he brings.
- B
Shyam will prepare only puri and Aman will prepare only sabji.
- C
Shyam will prepare only sabji and Aman will prepare only puri.
Shyam and Aman will prepare both puri and sabji.
- E
Options B, C and D will yield the same profit.
Option 2:
If Shyam prepares only puris, then at the end of every 10 minutes from 7:20, he will be able to serve 2 customers. So, he can start making puris from 7:05 and serve 22 customers.
So, profit by selling puri-sabji
= 22 × 15 – 100(Aman’s charges)
= 330 – 100 = 230
Option 3:
If Aman prepares only puris, he will be able to prepare 3 plates in 10 minutes. As Shyam’s sabji will be ready only at 7:30. So, Aman can start making puris from 7:15. Till 8:55, Aman makes 10 plates of puris. So, Shyam can serve 30 customers.
So, profit by selling puri-sabji
= 30 × 15 – 100(Aman’s charges)
= 450 – 100 = 350
Option 4:
Aman prepares first Handi on one oven in first 20 minutes and in first 25 minutes, Shyam will prepare 4 puri plates starting from 7:05.
So at the end of 7:25, 4 puri-sabji plates can be served
After that Shyam prepares another Handi till 7:55 and Aman prepares 9 plates of puri till 7:50
So, at the end of 7:55, 9 more puri plates can be served.
Note that 11 plates of sabji from Handi 2 is remaining.
Shyam will prepare 2 puri plates from 7:55 to 8:05 and then start with Handi 3 till 8:35
Aman will continue with preparing puri plates from 7:50. Till 8:30, He makes 12 more puri plates. So at the end of 8 : 35,
2 + 12 = 14 puri plates can be served.
Note that 9 plates of sabji from Handi 3 is still remaining. This sabji will be hot till 9:00(in fact 9:05)
After 8:30, Aman will continue with Puris and Shyam also will start with puris. But only 9 more plates can be served.
Thus, Shyam can serve 4 + 9 + 14 + 9
= 36 plates of puri-sabji.
So, profit by selling puri-sabji
= 36 × 15 – 100(Aman’s charges)
= 540 – 100 = 440
In previous solution, we have seen that Shyam can make a profit of Rs. 280.
So, his profit will increase after appointing Aman.
Hence, option (d).