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Percentage problem.

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by Chinn_asama » Sat Jul 28, 2012 6:22 am
If the price of an item is reduced by 25%, a person can buy 2 more items for a dollar. How many items are available for a dollar?

I thought the answer is 8 but it is not.

Can anyone explain why the answer is 6.

Thanx
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Source: — Problem Solving |

by eagleeye » Sat Jul 28, 2012 7:14 am
Chinn_asama wrote:If the price of an item is reduced by 25%, a person can buy 2 more items for a dollar. How many items are available for a dollar?

I thought the answer is 8 but it is not.

Can anyone explain why the answer is 6.

Thanx
Let number of items be n and price of each item be x. Total original price = nx
Now number of items after price reduction = n+2, and price of each item = (100-25)%x =0.75x.
Total new price =(n+2)*0.75x
Since total price remains the same (1 dollar),
Original price = new price
nx = (n+2)*0.75x
=> n = (n+2)*0.75 = (n+2)*3/4
=> 4n = 3n+6
=> n=6.

Let me know if this helps :)
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by truplayer256 » Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:35 am
Take this approach:

Assume that initially n items could be bought for a dollar. This means that each item costs 1/n dollars. It then follows that:

(1/n)(0.75) * (n + 2) = 1 => 3n/4 + 3/2 = n => 3/2 = n/4 => n = (3/2)(4) = 6
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