A fruit seller sells apples at a loss of 5% on the cost price but uses a weight that is 20% less than the actual weight. Find his…

Question

A fruit seller sells apples at a loss of 5% on the cost price but uses a weight that is 20% less than the actual weight. Find his total profit percentage.

1. A. 20.62%
2. B. 19.25%
3. C. 16.28%
4. D. 18.75% (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — 18.75%

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 18.75%.

Key Points

• Two effects run at once: a stated loss on price and a hidden gain from short weight. Take the cost price as ₹100 per kg.
• The customer pays for 1 kg but receives only 0.8 kg (20% less), so the seller's actual cost is 0.8 × 100 = ₹80.
• Selling at a 5% loss on the stated cost means the price charged is ₹95.
• Profit = 95 − 80 = ₹15 on a real outlay of ₹80.
• Profit % = (15 / 80) × 100 = 18.75%.
• Always compute profit on the actual quantity supplied, not the quantity billed — that is the entire trick in false-weight questions.

Additional Information

• False-weight questions combine a stated profit or loss on price with a hidden gain on quantity, and the two must be handled separately.
• The standard formula when goods are sold at cost price but with a false weight is gain % = (error / (true value − error)) × 100.
• Assuming a cost price of ₹100 per unit turns every percentage into a rupee figure and removes almost all the algebra — the single most useful habit in profit and loss.

प्रश्न (हिन्दी में)

एक फल विक्रेता लागत मूल्य पर 5% की हानि पर सेब बेचता है लेकिन वास्तविक वजन से 20% कम वजन का उपयोग करता है। उसका कुल लाभ प्रतिशत ज्ञात कीजिए।

1. A. 20.62%
2. B. 19.25%
3. C. 16.28%
4. D. 18.75%