Mixture and Alligation Quants MCQs with Answer - Exercise I

Ques 1 Mixture Alligation


Two vessels A and B contain a mixture of milk and water in the ratio 4:5 and 5:1.If both vessels are mixed in the ratio 5:2 then find the ratio of milk and water in new mixture?

A 4:5
B 5:4
C 3:4
D 4:3

Ques 2 Mixture Alligation


In what ratio must a grocer mix two varieties of tea worth Rs. 60 a kg and Rs. 65 a kg so that by selling the mixture at Rs. 68.20 a kg he may gain 10%?

A 3:2
B 6:7
C 5:6
D 2:3

The answer is a) 3:2.
Let the quantity of tea worth Rs. 60 a kg be x kg and the quantity of tea worth Rs. 65 a kg be y kg.
Then, the cost of x kg of tea worth Rs. 60 a kg = Rs. 60x
The cost of y kg of tea worth Rs. 65 a kg = Rs. 65y
The total cost of the mixture = Rs. 60x + Rs. 65y = Rs. (60x + 65y)
The selling price of the mixture = Rs. (x + y) × 68.20
The profit made by the grocer = Rs. (x + y) × 68.20 - Rs. (60x + 65y)
The profit percentage = (x + y) × 68.20 - Rs. (60x + 65y) / Rs. (60x + 65y) × 100
The grocer wants to make a profit of 10%. So, the profit percentage should be equal to 10.
(x + y) × 68.20 - Rs. (60x + 65y) / Rs. (60x + 65y) × 100 = 10
(x + y) × 68.20 - (60x + 65y) = 0.10 × (60x + 65y)
(x + y) × 68.20 = 1.10 × (60x + 65y)
68.20x + 68.20y = 66x + 71.5y
2.20x = 3.30y
x/y = 3.30/2.20 = 3/2
Therefore, the ratio in which the grocer must mix the two varieties of tea is 3:2.

Ques 3 Mixture Alligation


200 litres of mixture contains 15% water and the rest is milk. The amount of milk that must be added so that the resulting mixture contains 87.5% milk is?

A 30 litres
B 35 litres
C 40 litres
D 45 litres

The answer is c) 40 litres.

Quantity of milk in 200 litres of the mixture = 85% of 200 litres = (85/100) × 200 = 170 litres.
Let x litres of milk be added to the mixture.
Then, quantity of milk in (200 + x) litres of the new mixture = 170 + x litres.
Milk constitutes 87.5% of the new mixture.
Therefore, (170 + x) / (200 + x) × 100 = 87.5
⇒ 170 + x = (87.5 / 100) × (200 + x)
⇒ 17000 + 100x = 17500 + 87.5x
⇒ 12.5x = 500
⇒ x = 500 / 12.5 = 40 litres.

Ques 4 Mixture Alligation


A sum of Rs. 41 was divided amount 50 children. Each boy gets 90 paise and each girl 65 paise. The number of boys is?

A 32
B 34
C 36
D 38

The answer is b) 34.

Let the number of boys be x.
Then, the number of girls = (50 - x).
Amount received by each boy = 90 paise.
Amount received by each girl = 65 paise.
Total amount received by all the boys = 90x paise.
Total amount received by all the girls = 65(50 - x) paise.
Total amount received by all the boys and girls = 90x + 65(50 - x) paise.
This is given to be equal to Rs. 41 = 4100 paise.
Therefore, 90x + 65(50 - x) = 4100
⇒ 90x + 3250 - 65x = 4100
⇒ 25x = 850
⇒ x = 850 / 25 = 34.
Therefore, the number of boys is 34.

Ques 5 Mixture Alligation


A man has 60 pens. He sells some of these at a profit of 12% and the rest at 8% loss. On the whole, he gets a profit of 11%. How many pens were sold at 12% profit?

A 47
B 52
C 55
D 57

The answer is d) 57.

Let x be the number of pens sold at a profit of 12%.
Then, the number of pens sold at a loss of 8% = (60 - x).
Total profit = 11% of 60 = 6.6
Profit on x pens sold at 12% profit = 12% of x = 0.12x
Loss on (60 - x) pens sold at 8% loss = 8% of (60 - x) = 0.08(60 - x)
Therefore, 0.12x - 0.08(60 - x) = 6.6
⇒ 0.20x = 6.6 + 4.8 = 11.4
⇒ x = 11.4 / 0.20 = 57.
Therefore, 57 pens were sold at a profit of 12%.

Ques 6 Mixture Alligation


A sum of Rs. 6.40 is made up of 80 coins which are either 10-paise or 5-paise coins. How many are coins of 5-paise?

A 24
B 28
C 32
D 36

The answer is c) 32.

Let the number of 5-paise coins be x.
Then, the number of 10-paise coins = (80 - x).
Total value of the coins = Rs. 6.40 = 640 paise.
Value of x 5-paise coins = 5x paise.
Value of (80 - x) 10-paise coins = 10(80 - x) paise.
Therefore, 5x + 10(80 - x) = 640
⇒ 5x + 800 - 10x = 640
⇒ 5x = 160
⇒ x = 160 / 5 = 32.
Therefore, the number of 5-paise coins is 32.

Ques 7 Mixture Alligation


How much tea at Rs. 4 a kg should be added to 15 kg of tea at Rs. 10 a kg so that the mixture be worth Rs. 6.50 a kg ?

A 15 kg
B 35 kg
C 25 kg
D 21 kg

The correct answer is d) 21 kg.

Let x be the amount of tea at Rs. 4 a kg that should be added to 15 kg of tea at Rs. 10 a kg so that the mixture be worth Rs. 6.50 a kg.
The total cost of the mixture is then 15 * 10 + x * 4 = 150 + 4x.
The total weight of the mixture is 15 + x.
The average price of the mixture is then (150 + 4x) / (15 + x).
We want this to be equal to Rs. 6.50, so we have the equation (150 + 4x) / (15 + x) = 6.50.
Solving for x, we find that x = 21.
Therefore, 21 kg of tea at Rs. 4 a kg should be added to 15 kg of tea at Rs. 10 a kg so that the mixture be worth Rs. 6.50 a kg.