Profit Mirage

Algebra Level 2

A dealer bought an article for $7, sold it for $8, bought it back for $9, and sold it for $10. How much profit did he make from doing all of these trades?

$3 $2 $1 $5

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Soumo Mukherjee by Soumo Mukherjee , 25, India

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6 solutions

Feathery Studio
Jun 24, 2015

We can write this out as − 7 + 8 − 9 + 10 = ( − 7 + 8 ) + ( − 9 + 10 ) = 1 + 1 = 2 -7+8-9+10 = (-7+8)+(-9+10) = 1 + 1 = \boxed{2} . Add the $ \$ unit in.

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You loose the first profit when you buy it back for more then you sold it for

William Murray - 5 years, 11 months ago

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Lets say you have $X at first. You buy this for $7, so you have $(X-7) left. Then you sell it for $8, so you have now $[(X-7)+8]=$(X+1). You buy it back for $9, so now you have $[(X+1)-9]=$(X-8). Then you sell it for $10 so you have now $[(X-8)+10]=$(X+2). So you end up with $2 more than you started and thus make a $2 profit.

Anirudh T - 5 years, 11 months ago

If you view the 2nd and 3rd transaction together, then yes you have made -$1 (IE lost money). However, you then have to view the 1st and 4th transaction, in which case you would have made $10-7 = $3. Thus, you have made $3-1 = 2.

The order of operations should not change the end result, assuming that you perform them correctly.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 11 months ago

this is doing two independent transaction for single article......

Mayuresh Kumar - 5 years, 11 months ago
Karan Purswani
Jun 27, 2015

Purchased two times for $7 & $9 =$16 Sold two times for $8 & $10 = $18 Hence Profit =$18-16 = $2

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Rajat Ranka
Jun 27, 2015

First lets find the total cost price and total selling price= 16 and 18 respectively As 18>16 so it is a profit and Amount of profit=18-16=$2

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Syed Baqir
Jun 26, 2015

let x be the profit made, therefore, 8-7 = x eq i AND 10-9=x eq ii We add them as trade is done twice hence x = 1 + 1 = $ 2

0 Helpful 0 Interesting 0 Brilliant 0 Confused

Let him have a total of x $

then, when he buys, the money he has will be (x-7) $

now, he sells it for 8 $

so, he now has (x-7+8) $

which is (x+1) $

then, he buys it again for 9 $

so, he now has (x+1-9) $

then, he sells it for 10 $

so, he now has (x+1-9+10) $=(x+2) $

he made a profit of 2 $

It wold be better if the question was''How much net profit he made''

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Dineth Altmann
Jun 25, 2015

Split it into two (distributive property let's you do this) -8+9=1 and -9+10=1 1+1 equals 2

0 Helpful 0 Interesting 0 Brilliant 0 Confused

Not to be picky, but I think it would be associative property.

Feathery Studio - 5 years, 11 months ago

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