Ravi, Anand and Pranay run a business firm in partnership. You are asked to determine Anand's share in the profit earned by them. (a) Ravi, Anand and Pranay invest amounts in the ratio 2 : 4 : 7. (b) Pranay's share in the profit is Rs. 8,750. Based on the data given, which statement or combination of statements is sufficient to find Anand's share?

Introduction / Context:
This is a data sufficiency style aptitude question involving a partnership. Rather than directly asking for a numerical answer, the question asks which given statements are sufficient to calculate Anand's share of profit. Understanding when profit ratios and actual amounts together allow you to compute an unknown share is the core skill tested here.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We need to find Anand's share in the profit.
• Statement (a): Ravi, Anand and Pranay invest in the ratio 2 : 4 : 7.
• Statement (b): Pranay's share in the profit is Rs. 8,750.
• Profit is distributed according to the investment ratio, assuming equal time period for all partners.

Concept / Approach:
Profit shares in partnership are proportional to investments (and time, if times differ). In this question we assume time is the same for all partners, so profit shares directly follow the ratio 2 : 4 : 7. To compute a specific partner's share numerically, we must know at least one actual share value or the total profit. A single ratio without any actual amount is not enough, while a single amount without the ratio also does not uniquely determine the required share.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: From statement (a), the investment (and hence profit) ratio is Ravi : Anand : Pranay = 2 : 4 : 7.Step 2: Knowing only the ratio does not give any specific rupee amount for Anand's share, so statement (a) alone is not sufficient.Step 3: From statement (b), we know only that Pranay's share is Rs. 8,750.Step 4: Without the ratio, that single value cannot tell us the share of Anand, so statement (b) alone is also not sufficient.Step 5: Using (a) and (b) together, we know that Pranay's share corresponds to 7 parts out of (2 + 4 + 7) = 13 parts.Step 6: If 7 parts equal Rs. 8,750, then 1 part is 8,750 / 7 = Rs. 1,250.Step 7: Anand's share corresponds to 4 parts, so Anand's share is 4 * 1,250 = Rs. 5,000, which can now be uniquely determined.

Verification / Alternative check:
Once we know that one part is Rs. 1,250, Ravi's share is 2 * 1,250 = Rs. 2,500 and Pranay's is 7 * 1,250 = Rs. 8,750 as given. Total profit is 2,500 + 5,000 + 8,750 = Rs. 16,250. These values are all consistent with the ratio and the given share, confirming the sufficiency of using both statements together.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
'Only a is sufficient' is incorrect because a ratio alone cannot give a numerical rupee value. 'Only b is sufficient' is incorrect because one partner's amount alone does not reveal another partner's share without knowing how profits are split. 'Neither a nor b is sufficient' is wrong because together they clearly determine Anand's share. 'None of these' is not needed because one of the listed options correctly states that both (a) and (b) are sufficient.

Common Pitfalls:
Test takers sometimes assume that knowing the ratio is enough, overlooking that the question asks for a specific rupee value, not just a ratio. Others may mistakenly think that one known amount automatically reveals all other amounts. Always check whether you can uniquely compute the required value with the given information.

Final Answer:
The correct conclusion is that both statements (a) and (b) together are sufficient to determine Anand's share of the profit.