Directions : Read the following bar graphs carefully and answer the question…
2024
Directions : Read the following bar graphs carefully and answer the question given below. The bar graphs show the discount percentage given on the marked price of four different items (P, Q, R, S) in 2022 and 2024.
Note: (i) The marked price of an item can be the same or different in the two years.
(ii) The cost price of an item can be the same or different in the two years.
If the cost price of P in 2022 and 2024 is equal, then find the ratio of the selling price of P in 2022 to 2024.
- A.
Rs 160
- B.
Can’t be determined
- C.
Rs 240
- D.
Rs 350
- E.
None of these
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
On a marked-price discount problem, the selling price is fixed only by the marked price and the discount: SP = MP × (1 − discount). The cost price is a separate quantity, linked to MP only through the markup/profit relation MP = CP × (1 + markup). So an equality of cost prices says nothing about marked prices unless the markup (or profit%) is also known.
Reading the graph for P
Discount on P in 2022 = 12%, so SP2022 = MP2022 × 0.88.
Discount on P in 2024 = 15%, so SP2024 = MP2024 × 0.85.
Why the data is insufficient
The required ratio is SP2022 : SP2024 = 0.88·MP2022 : 0.85·MP2024. This needs the two marked prices (or their ratio).
The only extra fact given is “cost price in 2022 = cost price in 2024.” With no markup/profit% supplied, equal cost prices place no constraint on the marked prices — MP2022 and MP2024 can still take any values.
The Directions explicitly allow the marked price to be the same OR different across the two years, so the ratio is not pinned down by the graph.
Cross-check
There is a second independent tell: the question asks for a ratio, which is a pure (dimensionless) number such as 3 : 4, whereas the numeric choices are absolute rupee amounts. A ratio can never equal a single rupee figure, which reinforces that no specific monetary value can be the answer.
Result
Both the marked prices and the markup are unknown, so the selling-price ratio cannot be evaluated. The correct response is that it cannot be determined from the given information.