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A man sells an article for Rs. 480, gaining 20%. What was the cost price of the article?
Rs.┬а380
Rs.┬а400
Rs.┬а420
Rs.┬а440
Rs.┬а400
Use the ratio method: 20% gain means the CP to SP ratio is 5:6. Since 6 parts equals 480, 1 part is 80, making the 5 parts for CP equal to 5├Ч80=400.
Selling Price (SP) = Rs. 480, Gain Percentage = 20%
CP=100+Gain%SP├Ч100тАЛ
Use the ratio method: 20% gain means the CP to SP ratio is 5:6. Since 6 parts equals 480, 1 part is 80, making the 5 parts for CP equal to 5├Ч80=400.
Students often incorrectly calculate 20% of the Selling Price (subtracting 20% of 480) instead of computing it relative to the Cost Price.
Identify Given Parameters
Note the given selling price and gain percentage from the question: SP=480 and Gain%=20%.
SP=480,Gain%=20%
Apply Cost Price Formula
The formula relating Selling Price and Cost Price during a profit is CP=100+Gain%SP├Ч100тАЛ.
CP=100+Gain%SP├Ч100тАЛ
Compute the Cost Price
Substitute the known values into the formula to evaluate the final cost price.
CP=100+20480├Ч100тАЛ=12048000тАЛ=400
B is correct because the calculated cost price of the article is Rs. 400.
Mastering percentage-based scaling and ratios helps efficiently solve discount, markup, and mixture problems in quantitative aptitude.