If a shopkeeper first raises the price of jewellery by x% then he decreases…

2024

If a shopkeeper first raises the price of jewellery by x% then he decreases the new price by x%. After one such up down cycle, the price of a jewellery decreased by Rs. 1200. After a second up down cycle the jewellery was sold for Rs. 27648. What was the original price of the jewellery ?

  1. A.

    Rs. 24000

  2. B.

    Rs. 36000

  3. C.

    Rs. 44000

  4. D.

    Rs. 30000

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Correct answer: D

Answer: Rs. 30000

Let the original price be a. If the price is increased and then decreased by the same percentage x%, the net multiplicative factor for one up-down cycle is

(1 + x/100)(1 - x/100) = 1 - x^2/10000.

  • After the first cycle the price becomes a(1 - x^2/10000). The decrease after the first cycle is a - a(1 - x^2/10000) = a·x^2/10000 = 1200.

  • Thus x^2/10000 = 1200/a, so the factor after one cycle equals 1 - 1200/a.

  • After two cycles the price is a(1 - 1200/a)^2, and we are given a(1 - 1200/a)^2 = 27648.

  • Expand and rearrange: a(1 - 2400/a + 1440000/a^2) = 27648 ⇒ a^2 - 30048a + 1440000 = 0.

  • Factor the quadratic: (a - 30000)(a - 48) = 0, so a = 30000 or a = 48.

  • Reject a = 48 because then 1 - 1200/48 = 1 - 25 = -24, which would make the price negative after one cycle (not meaningful).

  • Therefore the original price is Rs. 30000. Check: 1 - 1200/30000 = 0.96, and 30000 × 0.96^2 = 30000 × 0.9216 = 27648, which matches the given final price.

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