Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: 1 : 6 (water : milk)
Explanation:
Problem restatement
A vendor adds water (free) to milk and sells the mixture at the milk's cost price. What water:milk ratio yields a 16½% profit?
Concept/Approach
Assume 1 litre of milk costs Rs. 1. Add w litres of free water; total litres sold = 1 + w at Rs. 1 per litre.
Step-by-step calculation
Cost = 1, Revenue = (1 + w) × 1Profit = (1 + w − 1) = w ⇒ Profit% = w × 100%Given 16½% = 1/6 ⇒ w = 1/6Water : Milk = (1/6) : 1 = 1 : 6
Common pitfalls
Using rupee arithmetic instead of the simpler litre-based approach.
Final Answer
1 : 6
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