Weighted Average of Concentrations

Important

Just like averages, ratios, and proportions, we can use the concept of weighted averages, which is nothing but the formula version of alligation, to solve many questions.

If $$x_1$$, $$x_2$$, $$x_3$$, $$...$$, $$x_n$$ are the percentage or fractional values of the concentrations of a solute in $$n$$ solutions, which are respectively mixed in the ratio $$y_1:y_2:y_3:...:y_n$$, we get the concentration of that solute in the resultant mixture as:

$$\frac{x_1y_1 + x_2y_2 + x_3y_3 + ... +x_ny_n}{y_1+y_2+y_3+...+y_n}$$

The result will be a percentage or fractional value of concentration of the solute, depending on what we start with.

Another way of approaching such questions with only 2 solutions can be the Alligation - Cross Method.

If 2 solutions having concentrations of a particular solute as X and Y in percentage or fractional form, and they are mixed to get a concentration of Z percentage or fraction, then the ratio in which they are mixed can be calculated as:

The required ratio will be $$Z-Y\ :\ X-Z$$.

Question 1

A farmer buys 6 litres of water at Rs. 10/litre and 4 litres of milk at Rs. 25/litre. He sells the mixture at a profit of 25%. What is the selling price of a litre of the mixture?

Question 2

How many litres of water, costing Rs.10/litre, should be added to 8 litres of milk, costing Rs. 25/litre, so that the resulting solution costs Rs. 15/litre.

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Previous Year Stats

Weighted Average of Concentrations

6

questions from CAT exam over the past 5 years

Formulas Asked Together in Previous Papers


Mixture of mixtures

2 PYQs

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