Alligation: It is a rule which defines the proportion/ratio in which two or more ingredients at given prices must be mixed to produce a mixture of a desired/specified price.
Mean price: The cost price of a unit quantity of the mixture is termed as mean price.
Concept 1: Alligation rule -
If two ingredients are mixed, then the ratio between the quantity of cheaper and the quantity of dearer is called alligation rule.
[latex] \frac{Quantity \ of \ cheaper}{Quantity \ of \ dearer} [/latex] = [latex] \frac{(Cost \ price \ of \ dearer) - (Mean \ price)}{(Mean \ price) - (Cost \ price \ of \ cheaper)}[/latex]
The above relation is represented as,
Hence, [latex]\frac{Quantity \ of \ cheaper}{Quantity \ of \ dearer}[/latex] = (d - m) : (m - c) = [latex]\frac{d - m}{m - c}[/latex]
Alligation rule is also used to fins the ratio in which two or more ingredients at their respective prices should be mixed to produce a mixture at a given price.
Example
In what proportion must tea at Rs. 14 per kg be mixed with tea at Rs. 18 per kg, so that the mixture be worth Rs. 17 a kg?
Solution:
Cp of 1 kg cheaper tea CP of 1 kg dearer tea
[latex]\frac{Quantity \ of \ cheaper}{Quantity \ of \ dearer}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{18 - 17}{17 - 14}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{1}{3}[/latex] = 1 : 3
Concept 2:
A container has milk and water in the ratio a : b, a second container of some capacity as first are has milk and water in the ratio c : d. If both the mixture are emptied into a third container, then the ratio of milk to water in third container is given by
[[latex]\frac{a}{a + b}[/latex] + [latex]\frac{c}{c + d}[/latex]] : [[latex]\frac{b}{a + b}[/latex] + [latex]\frac{d}{c + d}[/latex]]
Example
There are two containers of equal capacity. The ratio of milk to water in the first container is 3 : 1, in the second container is 5 : 2. If they are mixed up, then the ratio of milk to water in the mixture will be?
Solution:
Part of milk in first container = [latex]\frac{3}{3 + 1}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{3}{4}[/latex]
Part of water in first container = [latex]\frac{1}{3 + 1}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{1}{4}[/latex]
Similarly, part of milk in second container = [latex]\frac{5}{5 + 2}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{5}{7}[/latex]
Part of water in second container = [latex]\frac{2}{5 + 2}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{2}{7}[/latex]
Therefore, Required = [latex]\frac{3}{4}[/latex] + [latex]\frac{5}{7}[/latex] : [latex]\frac{1}{4}[/latex] + [latex]\frac{2}{7}[/latex] = [latex]\frac{41}{28}[/latex] : [latex]\frac{15}{28}[/latex] = 41 : 15
Concept 3:
Suppose a container contains ‘X’ units of a liquid from which ‘y’ units are taken out and replaced by water. After n operation,
quantity of pure liquid = [latex]x (1 - \frac{y}{x})^{n}[/latex] units
Example
A container contains 40 liters of milk. From this container 4 liters of milk was taken out and replaced by waster. This process was repeated further two times. How much milk is now contained by the container?
Solution:
Amount of milk left after 3 operations
= [40[latex](1 - \frac{4}{40})^{3}[/latex]] liters = (40 x [latex]\frac{9}{10}[/latex] x [latex]\frac{9}{10}[/latex] x [latex]\frac{9}{10}[/latex]) = 29.16 liters.