A saree is sold for Rs 1900 at a loss of 5%. At what selling price (in Rs) should the same saree be sold so that the seller makes a 15% profit on its cost price?

Introduction / Context:
In profit and loss aptitude questions, it is very common to move between cost price, selling price, and profit or loss percentage. This question tests your understanding of how to reverse calculate the cost price from a known loss situation and then use that cost price to find a new selling price for a desired profit. Such questions are frequently asked in banking, SSC, and other competitive exams because they require clear understanding of percentage calculations and relationships between cost and selling prices.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The saree is sold for Rs 1900.
• At Rs 1900, the seller incurs a loss of 5%.
• We assume the cost price is the same in both transactions.
• We want a profit of 15% on the same cost price.
• We need to find the new selling price that gives 15% profit.

Concept / Approach:
The key ideas are:

• Loss percent = (Loss / Cost Price) * 100.
• If there is a loss of 5%, then Selling Price = 95% of Cost Price.
• If there is a profit of 15%, then Selling Price = 115% of Cost Price.
• Work in terms of the cost price first, then compute the required selling price.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Let the cost price of the saree be C. Given that selling at Rs 1900 causes a 5% loss, so 1900 = 0.95 * C. Therefore, C = 1900 / 0.95. Compute C: C = 2000. For a profit of 15%, the new selling price S should be S = 1.15 * C. S = 1.15 * 2000 = 2300. So, the saree must be sold for Rs 2300 to earn 15% profit.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify using direct profit calculation. With cost price 2000 and selling price 2300, profit = 2300 - 2000 = 300. Profit percent = (300 / 2000) * 100 = 15%. This matches the required profit percentage. For the first case, selling price 1900 gives loss = 2000 - 1900 = 100. Loss percent = (100 / 2000) * 100 = 5%, which matches the given information. Hence, the calculated cost price and new selling price are consistent and correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
2200 would give profit = 200, that is (200 / 2000) * 100 = 10%, not 15%. 2400 would give profit of 400, that is 20%. 2500 would give profit of 500, that is 25%. 2100 would give profit of 100, only 5%. Therefore, none of these options match the required 15% profit target.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to apply the percentage directly to 1900 instead of first finding the cost price. Another frequent error is to mix up loss percent and profit percent or to treat them as additive on the same selling price without working through the cost price. Careless handling of decimal multipliers like 0.95 and 1.15 can also create calculation errors. Always clearly define the cost price and work step by step from the given selling price and percentage information.

Final Answer:
Therefore, the saree should be sold for 2300 rupees to earn a 15% profit on its cost price.