ALLIGATION

Allegation 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.
Quantity of cheaper
Quantity of dearer

= (C.P. of dearer) - (Mean Price)

Mean Price - CP of cheaper

We represent it as under
(Cheaper quantity): (Dearer quantity)=(d-m) : (m-c).
4) Mean price is always less then dearer price and is always more than cheaper price.
5. The price of the first kind should always be on the left hand side.
6. The price of water is always zero.
Example 1. In what proportion must a grocer mix tea at Rs 1.25 per kg with tea at Rs 1.50 per kg,
So that the mixture be worth Rs 1.30 a kg?
C.P. of 1 kg (D)
C.P. of 1 kg (C)
(150 paise)
(125 Paise)
Mean price
(130 Paise)
(150-130)=20 (130-125)=5
They must be mixed in the ratio 4:1
Example 2. In what proportion should water and wine by mixed to reduce the price of wine from
Rs 15 per litre to Rs 12 per litre?
Ans. Ratio of water and wine=3:12=1:4
Example 3. There some doves and hares in a forest. If heads are counted, there are 200. If legs are
counted, there are 580. The number of hares in the forest are?
Ans. Number of hares=9/20x200=90
Example 4. A man possessing Rs 8400, lent a part of it at 8% simple interest and remaining at 6
2/3% simple interest. His total income after 1 1/2 years was Rs 882. Find the sum lent at two rates.
Hint. First find the average rate of interest. Should be 7%.
Then use alligation.
:. Amount of Ist sum/Amount of 2nd sum=1/3
Example 5. 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 is worth Rs 3.25 a kg?
Hint: (Quantity of cheaper rice)/(Quantity of dearer rice) = 35/15.
symbol 92 \f "Symbol" \s 9 They must be mixed in the ratio 7 : 3)
Ex. 6. How many kilograms of sugar costing Rs 6.10 per kg must be mixed with 126 kg of sugar
costing Rs 2.85 per kg so that 20% may be gained by selling the mixture at Rs 4.80 per kg?
Hint: (Quantity of cheaper sugar)/(Quantity of dearer sugar = 120/ 115 = 42/23). If cheaper
sugar is 42 kg, dearer one = 23 kg
If cheaper sugar is 126 kg, dearer one = (23/42 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 126) kg = 69.

Ex. 7. In what proportion must water be mixed with spirit to gain 16 2/3% by selling it at cost
price?
Sol. Let C.P. of sprit be Re. 1 per litre.
Then, S.P. of 1 litre of mixture = Re. 1, Gain = 16 2/3%.
C.P. of 1 litre of mixture = Rs (100 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 3 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9
1)/350) = Rs 6/7.
C.P. of 1 kg C.P. of 1 kg
(Quantity of water)/Quantity of spirit = 7/6 = 1/6 6/7
or Ratio of water and spirit = 1 : 6.
Ex. 8. In what ratio must a person mix three kinds of wheat costing him Rs 1.20 Rs 1.44 and Rs
1.74 per kg, so that the mixture may be worth Rs 1.41 per kg?
Sol. Step I. Mix wheat of first and third kind to get a mixture worth Rs 1.41 per kg
(Quantity of 1st kind of wheat)/Quantity 3rd kind of wheat = 33/21 = 11/7 i.e., they must be
mixed in the ratio 11 : 7.
Step II. Mix wheat of 1st and 2ndkind to obtain a mixture worth of Rs 1.41per kg
(Quantity of 1st kind of wheat)/Quantity 1st kind of wheat = 3/231 = 1/7. i.e., they must be mixed
in the ratio 1 : 7.
Now converge the ratios, to get
symbol 92 \f "Symbol" \s 9 Quantities of wheat of (1st kind : 2nd kind : 3rd kind)
= 1 : 7 : 7/11) = 11 : 77 : 7.
Ex. 9 A butler stole wine from a butt of sherry which contained 40% of spirit and he replaced, what
he had stolen by wine containing only 16% spirit. The butt was then of 24% strength only. How
much of the butt did he steal?
(Wine with 40% Spirit)/(Wine with 16% Spirit) = 8/16)
i.e., they must be mixed in the ratio (1 : 2).
Thus 1/3 of the butt of sherry was left and hence the butler drew out 2/3 of the butt.
Ex. 10. The average weekly salary per head of the entire staff of a factory consisting of supervisor
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.
By allegation rule:
(Number of labourers)/(Number of supervisors) = 340/4 = 85/1
Thus, if the number of supervisors is 1, number of labourers = 85 symbol 92 \f "Symbol" \s 9 If
the number of supervisors is 12, number of labourers = 85 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 12 =
1020.
Ex. 11. A man travelled a distance of 80 km in 7 hours partly on foot at the rate of 8 km per hour
and partly on bicycle at 16 km per hour. Find the distance travelled on foot.
Sol. Average distance travelled in 1 hr. 80/7 km.
Time taken on foot/ Time taken on bicycle = 32/24 = 4 : 3)
Thus out of 7 hours in all, he took 4 hours to travel on foot.
Distance covered on foot 4 hours = (4 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 8) = 32 km.
symbol 169 \f "Symbol" \s 9 If from a vessel containing 'a' litres of wine, 'b' litres are
drawn and replaced with water, and this operation in repeated 'n' times, then
Wine left after the operation
= symbol 233 \f "Symbol" \s 9 a - b symbol 249 \f "Symbol" \s
n
9

Total quantity of mixture

9

symbol 235 \f "Symbol" \s 9 a

symbol 251 \f "Symbol" \s

EXERCISE
Questions : 30
Mark '5' as you answer if none of the listed four choices is correct.
1. A shopkeeper mixed 30 kgs of tea costing Rs 8 per kg and 10 kgs of tea costing Rs 16 per kg.
What is the average price of the mixture per kg?
1. Rs 10
2. Rs 12
3. Rs 14
4. Rs 15
2. I mix two varieties of tea costing Rs 18 per kg and Rs 25 per kg in a certain ratio. I sell the
mixture at Rs 30.80 per kg making a profit of 40%. What is the ratio of mixing the two varieties?
1. 4 : 3
2. 3 : 4
3. 4 : 7
4. 3 : 7
3. Find the ratio in which rice at 81p a kg is mixed with rice at 72p a kg to produce a mixture
worth 75p a kg.
1) 6 : 5
2) 2 : 1
3) 1 : 2
4) 4 : 1
4. The ratio in which a milk solution of purity 80% is to be mixed with another milk solution of
purity 60% to have a milk solution of purity 72% is:
1) 2 : 3
2) 3 : 1
3) 4 : 1
4) 3 : 2
5. How much water be added to 20 litres of 90% pure milk to have a mixture of purity 75%?
1) 4 litres
2) 5 litres
3) 3 2/3 litres 4) 6 litres
6. In an enclosure there are deer and flamingos. The total number of feet is 184 and the total
number of creatures is 56. There are how many flamingos?
1) 18
2) 20
3) 22
4) 36
7. In a room there are in all 53 tables, with five-legs and four-legs. The total number of the legs is
233. The four-leg tables exceed the five-leg tables by:
1) 14
2) 13
3) 12
4) 11
8. In a zoo there are 200 animals and birds. Of the birds one-third are one-eyed. When the total
number of eyes are counted, we get 390 and when the total feet are counted, we obtain 740. There
are how many animals in the zoo?
1) 170
2) 150
3) 30
4) Data inadequate
9. In a pasture are grazing horned cows and hornless sheep. The total number of legs is 40 and the
total number of horns is 120. The number of sheep is:
1) 30
2) 40
3) 50
4) 45
10. In a classroom there lie 30 models of spheres and cubes. The total number of surfaces of the
spheres and the cubes is 150. There are how many spheres?
1) 5
2) 8
3) 12
4) 6
11) A sells two items for Rs 2000 in total. On one he makes a profit of 20%, on the other a loss of
8% and overall a profit of 4%. What is the ratio of costs of the two items?
1) 4 : 3
2) 5 : 2
3) 4 : 1
4) 1 : 1
12) A shopkeeper sells one-third oranges at 24%, and the remaining at 15% profit. What is the
overall percent profit?
1) 18%
2) 21%
3) 20.5%
4) 15%

13) A milkman mixes water in pure milk and sells it at cost price of the milk. If he makes a profit
of 20%, in what ratio does he mix water and pure milk?
1) 1 : 3
2) 1 :4
3) 1 : 5
4) 1 : 6
14) A sum of Rs 6400 is partly lent at 4% per annum simple interest and the remainder at 8% per
annum simple interest. If the total interest after 2 years is Rs 832, how much was lent the lower
rate of interest?
1) Rs 4000
2) Rs 2400
3) Rs 3600
4) Rs 3200
15. In a class, the pass-percentage of the boys is 25% and of the girls is 65%. If the overall pass
percentage of the class is 55%, there are how many girls in the class of 60 students?
1) 50
2) 55
3) 40
4) 35
16. In what ratio should an alloy of zinc and copper in the ratio
4 : 1 be mixed with an alloy of tin and zinc in the ratio 1 : 3 so as to have an alloy of zinc purity
77%?
1) 3: 1
2) 2 : 3
3) 3 : 2
4) 1: 3
17. A sum of money is partly lent at 3 1/3 % SI and partly at 3 2/3% SI. If after three years the
interest is 10 1/2% of the total sum, what was the ratio of two portions?
1) 1 : 2
2) 2 : 1
3) 6 : 1
4) 1 : 3
18. The average wage of workers in a factory is Rs 250 and that of the managers is Rs 1000. If the
overall employee average salary is Rs 500, and the managers are 35 in number, the workers are--in number.
1) 35
2) 70
3) 105
4) 140
19. I invest part of my capital, (Total: Rs 18000), at 6% and the remainder at 9%. If the total
interest after one year is Rs 1260, how much did I invest at 9% ?
1) Rs 6480
2) Rs 6000
3) Rs 9000
4) Rs 7200
20. Xerxes gives one-third of his capital to his elder son and the remainder to his wife. The son
invests his portion in simple interest at 8% p.a. while his mother does the same at 11% p.a. After
four years, the accumulated interest will be what percent of Xerxes's total distributed capital?
1) 10%
2) 40%
3) 20%
4) 30%
21) From a 27 litre vessel of pure mixture, I throw out X litres and add X litres of 10% pure
mixture, stir thoroughly, there by leaving a 80% pure mixture. X =
1) 6
2) 21
3) 9
4) 18
22) Three vessels of volumes 6 litres, 7 litres and 9 litres contain solution A and solution B in the
ratio 3:1, 2:5, and 2:1 respectively. If the contents of all three are poured into a 30 litre empty
vessel, what is the effective ratio of solution A and solution B?
1) 23:18
2) 18:23
3) 25:19
4) 17:15
23) Two vessels A and B contain milk and water mixed in the ratio 3:1 and 5:3 respectively. Find
the ratio in which these are to be mixed to get a new mixture of milk to water in 2: 1?
1) 1:3
2) 1:4
3) 1:5
4) 1:2
24) Five litres of alcohol solution contains 20% water. What is the percent purity when one litre of
water is evaporated?

1) 90%

2) 99%

3) 95%

4) 100%

25. A vessel contains 5 parts milk and 3 parts water. What part of this mixture must be withdrawn
and water substituted in its place so that the ratio of milk and water in the resulting mixture may be
1:1 ?
1) 1/3rd
2) 1/4th
3) 1/5th
4) 1/6th
26. The average salary per head of all the employees in a workshop is Rs 95. The average salary of
15 officer is Rs 525 and the average salary per head of the rest is Rs 85. Find the total number of
employees in the shop.
1) 560
2) 600
3) 640
4) 660
27. A sum of Rs 67.50 was divided among 150 children, each boy getting 50 P and each girls
getting 35 P. How many boys were there?
1) 80
2) 100
3) 90
4) 75
28. One liquid contains 22 1/2% of water, another 27%. A glass is filled with 5 parts of first liquid
and 7 parts of the second. What is the percentage of water in the glass?
1) 25%
2) 25 1/8%
3) 26%
4) 25 1/5%
29. A 36 litre vessel contains pure spirit to the brim. 6 litres are drawn off and substituted with
water. The mixture is stirred thoroughly and the procedure repeated twice. The final percentage
purity is
1) (1/6)3 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 100%
2) (5/6)3 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9
100%
3) (1/6)2 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9 100%
4) (5/6)2 symbol 180 \f "Symbol" \s 9
100%
30. A sum of Rs 6.25 is made up of 80 coins which are either 10 paise coins or five paise coins.
How many are there of each kind?
1) 45:35
2) 42:38
3) 39:41
4) 37:43
Answers:
12341 24124 51223 25222 13443 42221
31) From 80% pure mixture of spirit, 2 litres of water is evaporated, and then 4 litres of pure spirit
is added. Thus the purity of spirit is rendered 90%. What was the initial volume of the mixture of
80% purity?
1) 26 litres 2) 24 litres 3) 22 litres 4) 20 litres
32) In what proportion must a man mix beer at Rs 11q a litre with beer at Rs 6 a litre, so a that
the mixture may be worth Rs 10 a litre when sold at 25% profit?
1) 2:3 2) 5:7 3) 7:5 4) 1:3
33) A sum of Rs 41 comprises of 25 P and 20 P coins. What is the total number of coins?
1) 180 2) 160 3) 140 4) Data inadequate
34) A vessel is filled with 100%pure spirit. Some of this spirit is thrown and substituted with water.
The mixture is stirred and the same volume of mixture thrown and substituted with water. The
process is repeated one more time. This leaves 51)20% pure spirit in the mixture. What portion of
the vessel's volume was substituted with water each time?

1) 1/3rd 2) 1/4th 3) 1/5th 4) 1/6th

35. From a 20 litre vessel full of pure spirit, 4 litre spirit is thrown out and replaced with water
Next 5 litre of the mixture is substituted with water. Further 10 litre of the mixture is replaced with
water. What percent purity remains in the vessel?
1) 28% 2) 30% 3) 32% 4) 36%
36. A vessel is full of mixture of spirit and water in which there is 18% spirit. Eight litres are
drawn off and the vessel is filled with water. If the spirit is now 15%, the vessel can hold?
1) 30 litres 2) 48 litres 3) 35 litres 4) 40litres
37. In a cinema show 100 people attend and the collection is Rs 100. If the ticket is Rs 5 for a man,
Rs 1 for a woman and 5 paise for a child, now many of each category were present knowing that
at least one man, one woman and one child were present?
1) 16,80,4 2) 4,80,20 3) 4,76,20 4) 19,1,80
38. Three towns have the female per thousand male ratio as 900, 800 and 1200 respectively the
towns have equal male populations, the total female per thousand male ratio is
1) 29:30 2) 14:15 3) 9:10 4) 13:15
39. The people below poverty line in rural India is 37%, in urban India is 32% and all over country
this statistic is 35%. What percentage of Indian population lives in rural India?
1) 80% 2) 60% 3) 20% 4) Cannot be determined
40. From a 20 litre 20% salt solution what amount of water of water should be evaporated that the
strength of slat solution increases to 80%?
1) 12lt 2) 10 lt 3) 15lt 4) Data inconsistent