ALLIGATION

8 ALLIGATION

Alligation is the rule that enables us to find the proportion in which the two or more ingredients at the given price must
be mixed to produce a mixture at a given price.

Cost price of unit quantity of the mixture is called the Mean Price.

Rule of Allegation. If two ingredients are mixed in a ratio, then

(Quantity of Cheaper) (C.P. of dearer)  (Mean Pr ice)


Quantity of dearer ( Mean Pr ice  C.P. of Cheaper)

We represent it as under:

C.P. of a unit C.P. of a unit quantity

Quantity of cheaper (c) of dearer (d)

Mean Price
(m)

(d – m) (m – c)

(Cheaper quantity) : (dearer quantity) = (d–m) : (m–c).

Ex. 1) In what proportion must rice at Rs. 3.10 per kg. be mixed with rice at Rs. 3.60 per kg., so that the
mixture be worth Rs. 3.25 a kg.?

Sol.
C.P. of 1 kg. cheaper C.P. of 1 kg. dearer rice
Rice (310 paise) (360 paise)

Mean Price
(325 paise)

35 15

By the allegation rule:

(Quantity of cheaper rice)/(Quantity of dearer rice) = 35/15 = 7/3.

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 ALLIGATION

 They must be mixed in the ratio 7 : 3.

Ex. 2) In what proportion must water be mixed with spirit to gain 162/3% by selling it at cost price?

Sol. Let the C.P. of spirit be Rs. 1 per litre.

Then, S.P. of 1 litre of mixture = Rs.1,
2
Gain = 16 %.
3

100  3  1
C.P. of 1 litre of mixture = Rs. ( ) = Rs. 6/7
350

C.P. of 1 kg. water (Re. 0) C.P. of 1 kg. pure

Quantity of cheaper (c) spirit (Re. 1)

Mean Price
(Re. 6/7)

1/7 6/7

(Quantity of water) / Quantity of spirit = 1/7/6/7

= 1/6.
or Ratio of water and spirit = 1 : 6.

Ex. 3) The average weekly salary per head of the entire staff of a factory consisting of supervisors and the
labourers is Rs. 60- The average salary per head of the supervisors is Rs. 400 and that of the labourers is
Rs. 56. Given that the number of supervisors is 12, find the number of labourers in the factory.

Sol.
Average salary of Average Salary of
Labourers (Rs. 56) Supervisors (Rs. 400)

Average Salary of entire

Staff (Rs. 60)

340 4

By alligation rule:
(Number of labourers) / (Number of supervisors)
= 340/4 = 85/1

Thus, if the number of supervisors is 1, number of labourers = 85

 If the number of supervisors is 12, number of labourers

= 85 x 12 = 1020.

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 ALLIGATION

9) The average weight of 5 men is 70kgs. If

EXERCISE – 1 average weight of 2 of them is 73kgs, what is
average weight of other 3 men?
1) A cricketer has completed 10 innings and his
a) 65 kg b) 66.6 kg
average is 22.5 runs. How many runs must he
c) 68 kg d) 67 kg
make in the next innings so as to raise his
e) None
average to 25 runs?
10) A batsman has a certain average of runs for
a) 60 b) 56
12 innings. In the 13th innings he scores 96
c) 48 d) 50
runs thereby increasing his average by 5
e) None of these
runs. What is his average after the 13
2) The average salary of 20 workers in an office
innings.
is Rs.1900 p.m. If the manager’s salary is
a) 32 b) 36
added, the average salary becomes Rs.2000
c) 38 d) 40
per month. What is the manager’s annual
e) None
salary?
11) A cricketer has certain average for 9 innings.
a) Rs.45,600 b) Rs.24,000
In the tenth inning he scores 100 runs,
c) Rs.25,200 d) Rs.46,800
thereby increasing his average by 8 runs. His
e) None of these
new average is?
3) Average age of 40 boys of a class is 15 years.
a) 20 runs b) 24 runs
If the age of the teacher is included then
c) 28 runs d) 32 runs
their average age is 16. What is the age of the
e) None
teacher?
12) The average marks obtained by 120
a) 61 years b) 73 years
candidates in certain examination is 35. If
c) 56 years d) 84 years
the average mark of passed candidates is 39
e) None
and that of failed candidates is 15, what is
4) The average wt. of 60 balls is 5gm. If the
the no. of candidates who passed the
weight of the bag be included, the average
examination?
weight increase by 0.05 gm. What is weight of
a) 80 b) 90
bag?
c) 100 d) 110
a) 5.05 b) 8.05
e) None
c) 7.55 d) 6.07
13) In a school with 600 students, the average
e) None of these
age of the boys is 12 years and that of the
5) A class has two sections, in one of which
girls is 11years. If the average age of the
there are 40 students with an average of 14.5
school is 11 years 9 months, then the
years. The average of the class is 14.2 years.
number of girls in the school is:
If there be 32 students in the other section,
a) 150 b) 250
its average age is:
c) 350 d) 450
a) 13.5 yrs. b) 13.6 yrs.
e) None
c) 13.7 yrs. d) None of these
14) The average weight of 25 students in a class
e) Can’t be determined
is 20 kg. When 5 more students are included
6) The average age of 40 boys of a class is 12
the average age decreases by 1. Find the
years. When 10 new boys are admitted, the
average weight of 5 new students.
average is increased by 0.1 year. What is
a) 14 kg b) 18 kg
average age of new boys?
c) 19 kg d) 20 kg
a) 12.4 yrs. b) 12.33 yrs.
e) 23 kg
c) 12.5 yrs. d) 13 yrs.
15) The average age of 24 Boys and their teacher
e) None of these
is 15 years. If age of the teacher excluded the
7) The average age of a group of persons going
average age decreases by 1. What will be the
for picnic is 16 years. Twenty new persons
age of the teacher?
with an average age of 15 years join the
a) 40 yrs b) 39 yrs
group on the spot due to which their average
c) 37 yrs d) 38 yrs
age becomes 15.5 years. The number of
e) 33 yrs
persons initially going for picnic is:
a) 5 b) 10
c) 20 d) 30
ANSWER KEY
e) None of these
8) The average weight of 24 students of section
A of a class is 58kg. Whereas the average Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A.
weight of 26 students of section B of the 1 D 2 E 3 C 4 B 5 D
same class is 60.5. Find the average weight of 6 C 7 C 8 A 9 C 10 B
all the 50 students of the class. 11 C 12 C 13 A 14 A 15 B
a) 59.3 b) 60.3
c) 79.3 d) 49.3 e) None of these
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 ALLIGATION

PRACTICE SET 9) The average runs of a cricket player of 10

innings was 32. How many runs must he
1) The average age of 9 boys is 15 years. When
make in his next innings so as to increase his
the teacher’s age is included, the average age
average of runs by 4?
becomes 17. What is the age of the teacher?
a) 8 b) 78
a) 32 yrs b) 33 yrs
c) 70 d) 76
c) 21 yrs d) 28 yrs
e) 36
e) 35 yrs
10) The average age of 36 students in a group is
2) The average marks of 8 students in an
14 years. When teacher’s age is included to
examination is 51 and the average marks of
it, the average increases by one. What is the
other 9 students is 68. What is the average
teacher’s age in years?
marks of all 17 students.
a) 31 b) 51
a) 59 b) 60
c) 36 d) 41
c) 59.5 d) 60.5
e) 38
e) 58
11) The average weight of a class of 24 students
3) The average income of 40 persons is Rs. 4200
is 35 kg. If the weight of the teacher be
and the average income of other 35 persons
included, the average rises by 400 g. The
is Rs. 4000. What is the average income of
weight of the teacher is:
the entire group?
a) 45 kg b) 50 kg
1 c) 53 kg d) 55 kg
a) 4100 b) 4106 e) 59 kg
3 12) The average height of 25 boys is 1.4 m. When
2 1 5 boys leave the group, then the average
c) 4106 d) 4108 height increases by 0.15 m. What is the
3 3 average height of the 5 boys who leave?
e) 4107
a) 0.9 m b) 1.05 m
4) The average consumption of rice per person
c) 0.8 m d) 0.95
per month in a family of 8 adults and some
e) 1 m
kids is 10.8 kg. The average consumption per
13) The average salary of all the workers in a
person for adult is 15 kg and for kids is 6 kg.
workshop is Rs. 8000. The average salary of 7
What is the number of kids in the family.
technicians is Rs. 12000 and the average
a) 8 b) 6
salary of the rest is Rs. 6000. The total
c) 7 d) 9
number of workers in the workshop is:
e) 11
a) 19 b) 20
5) A batsman has a certain average of runs for
c) 21 d) 22
his 19 innings. In 20th innings he makes 100
e) 23
runs and his average increases by 2 runs.
14) The average age of students of a class is 15.8
Find the average of 20 innings.
years. The average age of boys in the class is
a) 60 b) 61
16.4 years and that of the girls is 15.4 years.
c) 62 d) 64
The ratio of the number of boys to the
e) 67
number of girls in the class is:
6) A batsman makes a score of 87 runs in the
a) 1:2 b) 2:3
17th innings and thus increases his average
c) 3:4 d) 4:5
by 3. Find his average after 17th innings?
e) 3:5
a) 29 b) 38
15) A cricketer has a certain average for 10
c) 39 d) 40
innings. In the eleventh innings, he scored
e) 41
108 runs, thereby increasing his average by 6
7) The average age of boys in a class is 16 years
runs. His new average is:
and that of the girls is 15 years. The average
a) 48 runs b) 52 runs
age of the whole class is:
c) 55 runs d) 60 runs
a) 15 years b) 16 years
e) 58 runs
c) 15.5 years d) 14 years
e) Data inadequate
8) The average of five numbers is 27. If one
ANSWER KEY
number is excluded, the average becomes 25.
The excluded number is:
a) 25 b) 27 Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A.
c) 30 d) 35 1 E 2 B 3 C 4 C 5 C
e) 38 6 C 7 E 8 D 9 D 10 B
11 A 12 C 13 C 14 B 15 A

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 ALLIGATION

5) c)
HINTS & SOLUTIONS
1) e)

K 2K 1
17  15 1 
 100  K  2 19
x  17 9 38 = 98 – K
x = 35 K = 60
2) b) So, K + 2 = 62

6) c)

68  x 8

x  51 9
612 – 9x = 8x – 408
17x = 1020 K 3 K 1
x = 60 
3) c)
87  K  3 16
So, 48 = 84 – K
K = 36
So K + 3 = 39

7) e)

4200  x 35 7
 
x  4000 40 8
33600 – 8x = 7x – 28000
15x = 61600
2
x= 4106
3 Data Inadequate
4) c)
8) d)

A : K
4.8 : 4.2
8 : 7
8  8 Adults
So 7  7 Kids 27  25 1

x  27 4
8 = x – 27
X = 35

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 ALLIGATION

9) d) 1.55  1.40 5

1.40  x 20
0.15 1

1.40  x 4
So 0.6 = 1.4 – x
X = 0.8

13) c)

36  32 1

x  36 10
40 = x – 36
x = 76

10) b)

12000  8000 x

8000  6000 7
28000 = 2000x
x = 14
So, Total workers = 14 + 7 = 21

14) b)

15  14 1

x  15 36
36 = x – 15
X = 51

11) a)

So Ratio = 0.4 : 0.6

2:3

15) a)

35.4  35 1

x  35.4 24
0.4 x 24 = x – 35.4
9.6 = x – 35.4
x = 45 K 6K 1

108  K  6 10
12) c)
60 = 102 – K
K = 42
So K +6 = 42 + 6 = 48

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 ALLIGATION

8) A jar contained a mixture of two liquids A

MISCELLANEOUS and B in the ratio 4:1. When 10 litres of the
mixture was taken out and 10 litres of liquid
1) A library has an average number of 510 B was poured into the jar. This ratio became
visitors on Sunday and 240 on other days. 2:3. The quantity of liquid A contained in the
The average number of visitors per day in a jar initially was
month of 30 day beginning with Sunday is: a) 4 litres b) 8 litres
a) 285 b) 295 c) 16 litres d) 40 litres
c) 300 d) 290 e) 20 litres
e) 360 9) A and B are two alloys of gold and copper
2) In what ratio must a grocer mix tea at Rs. 60 prepared by mixing metals in the ratio 5:3
a kg, and Rs. 65 a kg, so that by selling the and 5:11 respectively. Equal quantities of
mixture at Rs. 68.20 a kg, he may gain 10%. these alloy C. The ratio of gold and copper in
a) 3:2 b) 3:4 the alloy C is
c) 3:5 d) 4:5 a) 25:13 b) 33:15
e) 2:3 c) 15:17 d) 17:15
3) A barrel contains a mixture of wine and water e) None of these
in the ratio 3:1. How much fraction of the 10) Two types of alloys possess gold and silver in
mixture must be drawn off and substituted by the ratio of 7:22 and 21:37. In what ratio
water so that the ratio of wine and water in should these alloys be mixed so as to have a
the resultant mixture in the barrel becomes new alloy in which gold and silver would exist
1:1? in the ratio 25:62?
1 1 a) 13:8 b) 8:13
a) b) c) 13:12 d) 6:9
4 3 e) 9:6
2 3 11) An alloy contains zinc, copper and tin in the
c) d) ratio 2:3:1 and another contains copper, tin
3 2 and lead in the ratio 5:4:3. If equal weights of
e) None of these both alloys are melted together to form a
4) Vessels A and B contain mixtures of milk and third alloy, then the weight of lead per kg in
water in the ratios 4:5 and 5:1 respectively. the new alloy will be.
In what ratio should quantities of mixture be 1 1
taken from A and B to from a mixture in a) kg b) kg
which milk to water is in the ratio 5:4? 2 8
a) 2:5 b) 4:3 3 7
c) 5:2 d) 2:3 c) kg d) kg
e) 3:4 14 9
5) A person has a chemical of Rs. 25 per litre. In e) None of these
what ratio should water be mixed with 12) The ratio in which tea costing Rs. 192 per kg
chemical the mixture at Rs. 20 litres he may is to be mixed with tea costing Rs. 150 per kg
get profit of 25%. so that the mixed tea, when sold for Rs.
a) 14:9 b) 16:9 194.40 per kg. gives a profit of 20% is
c) 9:14 d) 9:16 a) 2:5 b) 23:5
e) None of these c) 5:3 d) 5:2
6) In what ratio must a mixture of 30% alcohol e) 3:5
strength be mixed with that of 50% alcohol 13) In one glass, milk and water are mixed in the
strength so as to get a mixture of 45% ratio 3:5 and in another glass they are mixed
alcohol strength so as to get a mixture of in the ratio 6:1. In what ratio should the
45% alcohol strength content of the two glasses be mixed together
a) 1:2 b) 1:3 so that the new mixture contains milk and
c) 2:1 d) 3:1 water in the ratio 1:1?
e) 3:2 a) 20:7 b) 8:3
7) In an alloy, zinc and copper are in the ratio c) 27:4 d) 25:9
1:2. In the second alloy, the same elements e) 9:8
are in the ratio 2:3. If these two alloys be 14) The ratio of milk and water in mixtures of
mixed to form a new alloy in which two four containers are 5:3, 2:1, 3:2 and 7:4
elements are the ratio 5:8, the ratio of these respectively. In which container is the
two alloys in the new alloys is quantity of milk, relative to water,
a) 3:10 b) 3:7 minimum?
c) 10:3 d) 7:3 a) First b) Second
e) None of these c) Third d) Fourth
e) None of these

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 ALLIGATION

15) Two vessels A and B contains acid and water SPACE FOR ROUGH WORK
in the ratio 4:3 and 5:3 respectively. Then
the ratio in which these mixtures to be mixed
to obtain a new mixture in vessel C
containing acid and water in the ratio 3:2 is
a) 5:8 b) 7:8
c) 7:5 d) 4:7
e) 8:4
16) The acid and water in two vessels A and B are
in the ratio 4:3 and 2:3. In what ratio should
the liquids in both the vessels be mixed to
obtain a new mixture in vessel C containing
half acid and half water?
a) 7:5 b) 5:7
c) 7:3 d) 5:3
e) 3:5
17) A vessel is filled with liquid, 3 parts of which
are water and 5 parts are syrup. How much of
the mixture must be drawn off and replaced
with water so that the mixture may be half
water and half syrup?
1 1
a) b)
3 4
1 1
c) d)
5 7
e) None of these
18) A container contains 60 kg of milk. From this
container 6 kg of milk was taken out and
replaced by water. This process was repeated
further two times. The amount of milk left in
the container is
a) 34.24 kg b) 39.64 kg
c) 43.74 kg d) 47.9 kg
e) 28.2 kg
19) A and B are two alloys of gold and copper in
the ratio 7:2 and 7:11 respectively. If equal
quantities of these two alloys are melted to
from a new alloy C, then the ratio of gold and
copper in C is
a) 6:5 b) 9:4
c) 12:7 d) 7:5
e) 5:6
20) A can contains a mixture of two liquids A and
B in the ratio 7:5. When 9 litres of mixture
are drained off and the can is filled with B,
the ratio of A and B becomes. 7:9. How many
litre of liquid A was contained by the can
initially?
a) 10 b) 20
c) 21 d) 35
e) None of these

ANSWER KEY

Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A.
1 A 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 D
6 B 7 A 8 C 9 C 10 A
11 B 12 A 13 A 14 C 15 B
16 A 17 C 18 C 19 D 20 C

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