Daily-wage contract with absences: A laborer is engaged for a fixed number of days for ₹ 5750, but due to absences he receives only ₹ 5000. Assuming the same daily wage throughout and integer numbers of paid days, what is the maximum possible daily wage?

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: ₹ 250

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The laborer had a fixed daily wage for a fixed-length engagement, but earned less due to absences. The daily wage must divide both the full contracted amount and the actually paid amount, since both are integer multiples of a constant daily rate. To maximize the daily wage under these conditions, we use the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the two totals.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Total contracted pay if fully present = ₹ 5750.
  • Actual paid due to absences = ₹ 5000.
  • Daily wage is constant; number of paid days are integers.


Concept / Approach:
If daily wage = d, then 5750 = N * d and 5000 = n * d for integers N and n. Therefore d must divide both 5750 and 5000. The maximum possible d is gcd(5750, 5000). Compute the GCD to find the largest feasible daily wage consistent with both totals being multiples of d.


Step-by-Step Solution:

gcd(5750, 5000) = gcd(5000, 750) since 5750 − 5000 = 750.5000 mod 750 = 500 ⇒ gcd(750, 500) = 250.Thus the maximum daily wage d = ₹ 250.This yields integer day counts: 5750/250 = 23 days; 5000/250 = 20 days.


Verification / Alternative check:
Any larger daily wage would fail to divide either 5750 or 5000; any smaller common divisor is possible but not maximal.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
₹ 500 and ₹ 375 do not divide both totals; ₹ 125 divides both but is not the maximum; ₹ 200 is not a common divisor of 5750.


Common Pitfalls:
Treating the problem as a percentage deduction question rather than a divisibility constraint on a constant daily rate.


Final Answer:
₹ 250

More Questions from Work and Wages

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion