Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 1 :

A factory employs skilled workers, unskilled workers and clerks in the proportion 8 : 5 : 1 and the
wage of a skilled worker, an unskilled worker and a clerk are in the ratio 5 : 2 : 3. When 20 unskilled
workers are employed, the total daily wages of all amount to Rs. 3180. Find the daily wages paid to
each category of employees.

Rs. 2100, Rs. 800, Rs. 280.

Rs. 2400, Rs. 480, Rs. 300.

Rs. 2400, Rs. 600, Rs. 180. Correct

Rs. 2200, Rs. 560, Rs. 420.

Show Answer

Explanation:
Skilled workers, unskilled workers and clerks are in the proportion 8 : 5 : 1
Given 20 unskilled workers, So 5/14 x K = 20, K = 56,
Therefore there are 32 skilled workers, 20 unskilled workers and 4 clerks
Ratio of amount of 32 skilled workers, 20 unskilled workers and 4 clerks
= 5 x 32 : 2 x 20 : 3 x 4
= 160 : 40 : 12 or 40 : 10 : 3
Now, divide Rs 3,180 in the ratio 40 : 10 : 3
We get, Rs. 2400, Rs. 600, Rs. 180.

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 2 :

The soldiers in two armies when they met in a battle were in the ratio of 10 : 3. Their respective
losses were as 20 : 3 and the survivors as 40 : 13. If the number of survivors in the larger army be
24,000, find the original number of soldiers in each army ?

28000, 8400 Correct

25000, 7500

29000, 2750

26000, 7800

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let the soldiers in the two armies be 10X, 3X and losses be 20Y, 3Y,
Then we have,
10X - 20Y = 24000 ...(i)
And 3X - 3Y = 24000 x 13/40 = 7800
Solving, we have 10X = 28000, 3X = 8400

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 3 :

What must be added to each of the numbers 7, 11 and 19, so that the resulting numbers may be in
continued proportion?
 3

- 3 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let X be the required number, then
(7 + X) : (11 + X) :: (11 +X) : (19 + X)
(7 + X) (19 + X) = (11 + X)2
X2 + 26X + 133 = X2 + 22X + 121
4X = - 12 or X = - 3

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 4 :

The mean proportional between 45 and a certain number is three times the mean proportional
between 5 and 22. The number is ?

24

49

22 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
If X be the required number, then
(45 x X)1/2 = 3 x (5 x 22)1/2
45X = 9 x 110
X = 22

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 5 :

A and B are two alloys of argentum and brass prepared by mixing metals in proportions 7 : 2 and 7 :
11 respectively. If equal quantities of the two alloys are melted to form a third alloy C, the
proportion of argentum and brass in C will be ?

5:9

5:7

7 : 5 Correct

9:5

Show Answer

Explanation:
The first alloy is prepared by mixing metals in proportions 7 : 2,
Then the weight of the first alloy will be = 7x + 2x
Assume ’x’ = 1Kg
The weight of the first alloy will be 9kg
The second alloy is prepared by mixing metals in proportions 7 : 11,
The weight of the second alloy will be 18kg
If equal quantities of the two alloys are melted to form a third alloy,
Then 18Kg of first alloy should be used, then its ratio will become 14 : 4,
Now, the proportion of argentum and brass in third alloy = 7 + 14 : 11 + 4 = 21 : 15 = 7 : 5

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 6 :

If x varies inversely as (y2 - 1) and is equal to 24 when y = 10, the value of x when y = 5 will be ?

100

101

99 Correct

None of these

Show Answer

Explanation:

Let X = K/(Y2 - 1).

Now 24 = K/(100 - 1)
Or K = 24 x 99.
X = K/(Y2 – 1)
When Y = 5, X = 24 × 99/(25 - 1 ) = 99

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 7 :

X’s income is 3/4 of Y’s income, and X’s expenditure is 4/5 of Y’s expenditure. If X’s income is 9/10 of
Y’s expenditure, find the ratio of X’s savings to Y’s savings ?

1 : 2 Correct

2:1

1:4

2:3

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let X’s income be 3k then Y’s income is 4k.
Let X’s expenditure be 4g then Y’s expenditure is 5g.
But 3k = 9/10 (5g) or k = 3/2g
X’s saving/Y’s saving = (3k - 4g)/(4k - 5g)
[3 (3 / 2g) - 4g]/[ 4(3 / 2g) - 5g] = 1/2
X’s saving : Y’s saving = 1 : 2
Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 8 :
A basket contains Rs 216 in the form of one rupee, 50 paise and 25 paise coins in the ratio of 3 : 4 : 4.
The number of 50 paise coins is ?

96

128

144 Correct

100

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let number of one rupee coins = 3K
Number of 50 paise coins = 4K
Number of 25 paise coins = 4K
Therefore 3K + 0.50 x 4K + 0.25 × 4K = 216
=> 3K + 2K + 1K = 216
=> K = 36
Therefore number of 50 paise coins = 4K = 144

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 9 :

A person spends 1/3rd of the money with him on clothes, 1/5th of the remaining on food and 1/4th
of the remaining on travel. Now, he is left with Rs 100. How much did he have with him in the
beginning?

Rs 200

Rs 250 Correct

Rs 300

Rs 450

Show Answer

Explanation:
Suppose the amount in the beginning was Rs ’x’
Money spent on clothes = Rs 1x/3 Balance = Rs 2x/3
Money spent on food = 1/5 of 2x/3 = Rs 2x/15
Balance = 2x/3 - 2x/15 = Rs 8x/15
Money spent on travel = 1/4 of 8x/15 = Rs 2x/15 = 8x/15 - 2x/15 = 6x/15 = Rs2x/5
Therefore 2x/5 = 100 = 250

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 10 :

If 2/3rd of the contents of a container evaporated on the 1st day. And 1/4th of the remaining
evaporated on the second day. What part of the contents of the container is left at the end of the
second day?

1/4

1/12
 1/18

1/6 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
After first day, 1/3 of the contents remain.
After second day,
(1/3) - (1/4(2/3)) = (1/3) - (1/6) = 1/6 of the contents remain

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 11 :

When the bus started from the first bus stop, the number of male passengers to the number of
female passengers was 1 : 3. At the first stop, 16 passengers got down and 6 more female
passengers got in. The ratio of the male to female passengers now became 1: 2. What was the total
number of passengers in the bus when it started from the first stop?

64

48

54

Cannot be determined Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let, initially the number of males and females in the bus be ’x’ and ’3x’ respectively.
At the first stop, suppose ’m’ males and ’f’ females left the bus.
Therefore at the first stop the number of males is ’x - m’ and the number of females is ’(3x - f) + 6’
Therefore (x - m)/[(3x - f) + 6] = 1/2
=> 2x - 2m = 3x - f + 6
Also m + f = 16
x = 26 - f
As we have 3 variable and 2 equations, a definite value cannot be determined.

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 12 :

If the ratio of boys to girls in a class is B and the ratio of girls to boys is G; then 3 (B + G) is ?

Equal to 3

Less than 3

More than 3 Correct

Less than 1/3

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let number of boys = x
Let number of girls = y
Therefore x/y = B and y/x = G
3(B + G) = 3[(x/y) + (y/x)] = 3[(x2 + y2)/xy] > 3
Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 13 :
Priya bought a fish last week. She was going to measure it but realized that her ruler was not long
enough. She was able to measure the head and discovered that it was 12cm long; she then
measured the tail and found that it was the length of the head plus one third of the length of the
body. If the body was the length of the head plus the tail, what is the total length of the fish?

58 Correct

45

72

63

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let us take H=Length of the head

T=Length of the tail

B=length of the body

Given that H=12 cms.

T=H+1/3 B => T=12+1/3B

Let this be the first equation

B=H+T

substituting the value of H and T here we will get

B=12+12+1/3B

=> B=24+1/3B

Therefore,B=36 cm

Substituting this in T we get

T=12+1/3(36)

T=12+12 =24

So now that you got all the values add

H=12 cm

B=36 cm

T= 24 cm

and the answer is 72 cm

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 14 :

If (1/3)A = (1/4)B = (1/5)C. Then A : B : C is

4:3:5
 5:4:3

3 : 4 : 5 Correct

20 : 15 : 12

Show Answer

Explanation:
(A/3) = (B/4) = (C/5) = K
=> A = 3K, B = 4K, C = 5K
Therefore, A : B : C = 3K : 4K : 5K = 3 : 4 : 5

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 15 :

In an island, there are four men for every three women and five children for every three men. How
many children are there in the island if it has 531 women ?

454

1180 Correct

1070

389

Show Answer

Explanation:
The ratio of Women : Men = 3 : 4
Men : Children = 3 : 5
The combined ratio,
Women : Men : Children = 9 : 12 : 20
In this ratio, 9 ==> 531 Women
Thus, 20 ==> 1180 Children

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 16 :

Two numbers are in the ratio 2 : 3. If eight is added to both the numbers, the ratio becomes 3 : 4.
The numbers are ?

15 and 20.

16 and 24. Correct

13 and 17.

17 and 9.

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let x and y be the two numbers
Therefore, (x/y) = (2/3),
(x + 8)/(y + 8) = 3/4 => x = 16, y = 24
Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 17 :
What is the value of (P + Q)/(P - Q) if P/Q is 7?

4/3 Correct

2/3

2/6

7/8

Show Answer

Explanation:
(P + Q)/(P - Q) = [(P/Q) + 1]/[(P/Q) - 1] = (7 + 1)/(7 - 1)
= 8/6 = 4/3

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 18 :

Salaries of A, B and C were in the ratio 3 : 5 : 7 respectively. If their salaries were increased by 50 per
cent, 60 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, what will be the new ratio of their respective
salaries?

4:5:7

3:6:7

4 : 15 : 18

9 : 16 : 21 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
New ratio will be 3 x (150/100) : 5 x (160/100) : 7 x (150/100) = (9/2) : 8 : (21/2) = 9 : 16 : 21

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 19 :

If (2a + 3b)/(5a - 3b) = 23/5 , then the value of b : a is ?

4:1

1:4

4:5

5 : 4 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
(2a + 3b)/(5a - 3b) = 23/5
=> 10a + 15b = 115a - 69b
=> 105a = 84b => 5a = 4b
a/b = 4/5

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 20 :

If y/(x - z) = (y + x)/z = x/y then find x : y : z ?
 1:2:3

3:2:1

4 : 2 : 3 Correct

2:4:7

Show Answer

Explanation:
Given, y/(x - z) = (y + x)/z
yz = xy + x2- yz - xz .. (1)
Also (x/y) = (y/(x - z)) => x2 - xz = y2 .. (2)
Using (1) and (2), we get yz = xy - yz + y2
2yz = xy + y2
2z = x + y
Only option (c) satisfies the equation

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 21 :

The profits of a firm are to be distributed in a suitable ratio. Suitable ratio is the ratio whose terms
differ by 40 and the measure of which is 2/7. Find the suitable ratio.

280 : 2

16 : 56 Correct

80 : 7

40 : 14

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let the ratio be x : y
Given x/y = 2/7,
Also y - x = 40,
Solving we get, x = 16, y = 56

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 22 :

From a number of mangoes, a man sells half the number of existing mangoes plus 1 to the first
customer, then sells 1/3rd of the remaining number of mangoes plus 1 to the second customer, then
1/4th of the remaining number of mangoes plus 1 to the third customer and 1/5th of the remaining
number of mangoes plus 1 to the fourth customer. He then finds that he does not have any mangoes
left. How many mangoes did he have originally?

12

14 Correct

15

13

Show Answer
Explanation:
Let the No. of mangoes that the man had originally = X
No. of mangoes sold balance
1st customer = (X/2) + 1 (X - 2)/2
2nd customer = (X - 2)/6 + 1 (X - 5)/3
3rd customer = (X - 5)/12 + 1 (X - 9)/4
4th customer = (X - 9)/20 + 1 0
(X - 9)/20 + 1= (X - 9)/4 => X = 14

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 23 :

Two numbers are in the ratio of 1 : 2. If 7 be added to both, their ratio changes to 3 : 5. The greater
number is

20

24

28 Correct

32

Show Answer

Explanation:
Let the ratio be X : Y,
Given X/Y = 1/2 ,
(X + 7)/(Y + 7) = 3/5
=> X = 14
And Y = 28

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 24 :

Out of the total 390 students studying in a college of Arts and Science, boys and girls are in the ratio
of 7 : 6 respectively and the number of students studying Arts and Science are in the ratio of 3 : 7
respectively. The boys and girls studying Arts are in the ratio of 4 : 5 respectively. How many boys
are studying science?

52

65

115

158 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
Given, boys and girls are in the ratio of 7 : 6,
So, Number of boys = 7/13 x 390 = 210
Number of girls = 390 - 210 = 180
Students studying Arts and Science are in the ratio of 3 : 7,
Number of students studying Arts = 3/10 x 390 = 117
Number of students studying Science = 390 - 117 = 273
Also boys and girls studying Arts are in the ratio of 4 : 5,
Number of boys studying arts = 4/9 x 117 = 52
Number of boys studying science = 210 - 52 = 158

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 25 :

The cost of an article (which is composed of raw materials and wages) was 3 times the value of raw
materials used. The cost of raw materials increased in the ratio 3 : 7 and wages increased in the ratio
4 : 9. Find the present cost of the article if its original cost was Rs. 18.

Rs. 41 Correct

Rs. 30

Rs. 40

Rs. 46

Show Answer

Explanation:
Assume the raw materials’ cost as Rs.150, then the total cost will be Rs. 450, (Thus, wages cost is Rs.
300)
Since, the cost of raw materials goes up in the ratio of 3 : 7, the new raw material cost would
become Rs. 350
The new wages cost would be in the ratio 4 : 9 as Rs. 675.
The new total cost would become, Rs. 1025.
Since Rs 450 become Rs. 1025 (change in total cost),
Unitary method calculation would give us that Rs. 18 would become Rs. 41.

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 26 :

On his deathbed, a father called upon his three sons and told them to distribute all his assets worth
Rs. 52,500 in the ratio of 1/15 : 1/21 : 1/35 amongst themselves. Find the biggest share amongst the
three portions.

Rs. 2,75,000 Correct

Rs. 2,45,000

Rs. 1,10,500

Rs. 1,13, 250

Show Answer

Explanation:
The ratio of distribution should be:
21 x 35 : 15 x 35 : 15 x 21
= 147 : 105 : 63
=7:5:3
The largest share will be worth:
7/15 x 525000 = Rs. 2,45,000
Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 27 :
There are 361 doctors and nurses in a hospital. If the ratio of the doctors to the nurses is 8 : 11, then
how many nurses are there in the hospital?

152

209 Correct

57

171

Show Answer

Explanation:
Given,
The ratio of the doctors to the nurses is 8 : 11
Number of nurses = 11/19 x 361 = 209

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 28 :

A precious stone weighing 35 grams worth Rs. 12,250 is accidentally dropped and gets broken into
two pieces having weights in the ratio of 2 : 5. If the price varies as the square of the weight then
find the loss incurred.

Rs. 5750

Rs. 6000

Rs. 5500

Rs. 5000 Correct

Show Answer

Explanation:
The price varies as the square of the weight,
P = K x W2
12250 = K x 352
K = 10
Thus, P = 10W2
When the two pieces are in the ratio 2 : 5 (Weight wise) then we know that their weights must be
10g and 25g respectively.
Their values should be :
10g piece: 10 x 102 = Rs. 1000;
25g piece: 10 x 252 = Rs. 6250.
Total value of stone now, = 1000 + 6250 = Rs. 7250
Loss incurred = 12250 - 7250 = Rs. 5000

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 29 :

Eight people are planning to share equally the cost of a rental car. If one person withdraws from the
arrangement and the others share equally the entire
rest of the car, then the share of each of the remaining persons increased by ?
 1/9

1/8 Correct

1/7

7/8

Show Answer

Explanation:
When there are eight people, the share of each person is 1/8th the total cost

Problems on Ratios and Proportions : Question 30 :

Determine the ratio of the number of people having characteristic X to the number of people having
characteristic Y in a population of 100 subjects from the following table
People having X and Y are 20
People having X but not Y are 10
People having Y but not X are 30
People having neither X nor Y are 40.

3 : 5 Correct

3:4

4:3

5:3

Show Answer

Explanation:
Number of people having characteristic X = 10 + 20 = 30
Number of people having characteristic Y = 20 + 30 = 50
Therefore Required ratio = 30 : 50 = 3 : 5