At a 22% discount, the selling price of a refrigerator is Rs 26000. If instead a 40% discount were offered on the same marked price, what would be the new selling price in rupees?

Introduction / Context:

This question links two different discount rates applied to the same marked price. You are told the selling price at one discount rate and asked to find the selling price at another discount rate. It tests your ability to reverse from selling price to marked price and then apply a new discount.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• When a 22% discount is given, selling price SP1 = Rs 26000.
• Discount rate 1 = 22%, so the customer pays 78% of the marked price.
• Discount rate 2 = 40%, so the customer will pay 60% of the marked price.
• The marked price remains the same in both scenarios.

Concept / Approach:

We first express the given selling price in terms of the marked price using the 22% discount. This allows us to find the marked price. Then we apply the 40% discount to that marked price to find the new selling price. The calculations mainly use basic percentage factors (0.78 and 0.60).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

We can also first find M numerically. M = 26000 / 0.78 approximately equals 33333.33. Then, with a 40% discount, selling price is 60% of this: 0.60 * 33333.33 ≈ 20000. This agrees with the exact fractional calculation, confirming that the new selling price is Rs 20000.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 14640 and 21840: These correspond to applying incorrect discount factors or miscalculating the ratio between 22% and 40% discounts.
• 12000: This is far below the correct price and would imply an unrealistically huge discount.
• 26000: This is the selling price at 22% discount, not at 40% discount.

Common Pitfalls:

Some learners mistakenly think that the new selling price can be found by scaling 26000 directly by the ratio of 60% to 78% without computing the fraction correctly. Others might subtract percentage points incorrectly (for example, thinking 40% is just 18% more discount and roughly adjusting the price). Always go back to the base marked price when changing discount rates.

Final Answer:

The selling price of the refrigerator at a 40% discount would be Rs 20000.