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A wholesaler bought walnuts and peanuts, the price of walnut per kg being thrice that of peanut per kg . He then sold 8 kg8 \mathrm{~kg} of peanuts at a profit of 10%10 \% and 16 kg16 \mathrm{~kg} of walnuts at a profit of 20%20 \% to a shopkeeper. However, the shopkeeper lost 5 kg5 \mathrm{~kg} of walnuts and 3 kg3 \mathrm{~kg} of peanuts in transit. He then mixed the remaining nuts and sold the mixture at Rs. 166166 per kg, thus making an overall profit of 25%25 \%. At what price, in Rs. per kg, did the wholesaler buy the walnuts?

Solution

✅ Correct Option: 2

We have a chain of transactions: wholesaler → shopkeeper → final customer. Let us track the costs and profits step by step.


Let the cost price of peanuts for the wholesaler = xx per kg

Since walnut price is thrice that of peanut price:

Cost price of walnuts for the wholesaler = 3x3x per kg

We choose the simpler variable (peanut price) as our base, making calculations easier.


The wholesaler sold:

8 kg peanuts at 10% profit

16 kg walnuts at 20% profit

Understanding profit calculation:

10% profit means selling price = cost price × 1.1

20% profit means selling price = cost price × 1.2

Shopkeeper's total cost price = Amount paid to wholesaler

For peanuts: 8 kg × xx × 1.1 = 8.8x8.8x

For walnuts: 16 kg × 3x3x × 1.2 = 57.6x57.6x

Total cost price for shopkeeper = 8.8x+57.6x=66.4x8.8x + 57.6x = 66.4x


The shopkeeper lost some nuts in transit:

Lost 5 kg walnuts → Remaining walnuts = 16 - 5 = 11 kg

Lost 3 kg peanuts → Remaining peanuts = 8 - 3 = 5 kg

Total mixture sold = 11 + 5 = 16 kg


Shopkeeper sold 16 kg at Rs. 166 per kg

Total selling price = 16 × 166 = Rs. 2656


Key insight: We know the shopkeeper made 25% overall profit, so:

Selling Price = Cost Price × 1.25

Therefore: Cost Price = Selling Price ÷ 1.25

Cost Price = 2656 ÷ 1.25 = 2656 × 45\tfrac{4}{5} = Rs. 2124.8

Why 45\tfrac{4}{5}? Because 1.25 = 54\tfrac{5}{4}, so 1 ÷ 1.25 = 45\tfrac{4}{5}


We now have two expressions for the shopkeeper's cost price:

From wholesaler calculation: 66.4x66.4x

From profit calculation: 2124.82124.8

Setting them equal:

66.4x=2124.866.4x = 2124.8

x=2124.8÷66.4=32x = 2124.8 ÷ 66.4 = 32


Price at which wholesaler bought walnuts = 3x=3×32=3x = 3 × 32 = Rs. 96 per kg

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