Mixture and Alligation
1. A vessel contains ‘x’ litres of wine and another vessel ‘y’
litres of water. ‘z’ litres are taken out of each vessel and
transferred to the other. This operation is repeated once again.
If the quantity of wine taken out of each vessel is equal for
the second operation, show that z(x + y) = xy.
2. Three equal glasses are filled with mixtures of spirit and wa-
ter. The proportion of spirit and water is 2:3 in the first glass,
3:4 in the second glass and 4:5 in the third glass. The con-
tents of the three glasses are emptied into a single vessel.
Find the proportion of spirit to water in it.
3. In a vessel, milk and water are in the ratio 5:2. In another
vessel they are in the ratio 8:5. In what ratio should the
mixture from both the vessels be mixed so that the new ratio
of milk and water is 9:4?
4. A mixture of milk and water measures 70 litres. It contains
10% water. How much water should be mixed with it so that
water may be 25% in the new mixture?
5. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Bronze is an alloy con-
taining 80% of copper, 16% of tin and rest zinc. A fused mass
of brass and bronze is found to contain 74% of copper, 16%
of zinc and 10% of tin. Find the ratio of copper to zinc in the
composition of brass.
K
KUNDAN
6. Five gallons is drawn from a vessel full of wine. It is then
filled with water. Five gallons of the mixture is again drawn
and the vessel is again filled with water. The quantity of
wine now left in the vessel is to that of water in it as 4:5. How
much does the vessel hold?
7. A jar is filled with a mixture of two liquids A and B in the
proportion A : B :: 6 : 5. When 22 litres of the mixture are
drawn off and the jar is filled with liquid B, the proportion
becomes 20 : 57. How many litres does the jar hold?
8. In an alloy there is 90% copper and 10% tin. In another alloy
there is 93% copper and 4% tin. In what ratio should alloys
one and two be mixed in order to make tin 9% in the new
alloy.
9. In two alloys, the ratios of copper to zinc are 5 : 2 and 3 : 4
respectively. How many kg of the first alloy and of the sec-
ond alloy should be melted together to obtain 56 kg of a new
alloy with equal contents of copper and zinc?
 Answers and explanation
1. First vessel contains ‘x’ litres of wine and second vessel 2 x 5 y 26 x  35 y
contains ‘y’ litres of water. and total water =  
7 13 91
When ‘z’ litres are taken out then amount of wine in the first 65x  56y 26x  35y
vessel is (x – z) and the second vessel will have z litres of we are given that : 9:4
91 91
wine.
Second time, the amount of wine taken from the first vessel 65x  56 y 9
or, 
z 26 x  35 y 4
= x  z  litres, and from the second vessel amount of or, 260x + 224y = 234x + 315y
x
or, 26x = 91y  x : y= 7 : 2
z 4. Mixture of milk and water = 70 litres
wine taken =  z litres
y Volume of water in the mixture = 10% of 70 = 7 litres
Let ‘x’ litres of water be added in the mixture.
Now the quantity of wine taken this time from the first vessel
 (x + 7) = 25% of (x + 70)
is equal to that from the other vessel.
1
z x  z  z or, x + 7 = (x + 70) or, 4x + 28 = x + 70
 z 4
ie, or, 4x -x = 70 - 28 = 42 or, 3x = 42
x y
 x = 14 litres
xz z
  5. Let the fused mass contain x parts of brass and y parts of
x y bronze.
 xy  yz  xz Quantity of copper only in bronze
 xz  yz  xy 4
= 80% of y = y
 z x  y   xy 5

K
2. Let the capacity of each glass be 1 litre. % of zinc in the bronze
= 100 - (80 + 16) = 4%
2 3
In the first glass, spirit = litre; water = litre Quantity of zinc only in bronze
5 5
y
In the second glass, = 4% of y =
25
3 4 Now, the quantity of copper in fused mass
spirit = litre; water = litre
7 7
37
4 5 = 74% of (x + y) = ( x  y)
In the third glass, spirit = litre; water = litre 50
9 9 Quantity of zinc in the fused mass

KUNDAN
If the contents are mixed, then the amount of spirit
4
2 3 4 126  135  140 401 = 16% of (x + y) = ( x  y)
=    = litres 25
5 7 9 315 315 Quantity of copper only in brass
3 4 5 189  180  175 37 4 37 x  3 y
Amount of water =    = (x  y)  y 
5 7 9 315 50 5 50
544 Percentage of copper only in brass
=
315

37x  3y  100 %
............ (A)
New ratio of spirit to water 50x
401 544 Quantity of zinc only in brass
= :  401 : 544 4 y 4 x  3 y 
315 315 = ( x  y)  
3. Suppose they are mixed in the ratio x : y. 25 25 25
Percentage of Zinc only in brass
5x 2x
Then, from the first mixture = unit of milk and unit 4x  3y  100 %
52 7 .......... (B)
25 x
of water is present in the final mixture.
On adding (A) and (B), we get
8y 5y
And from the second mixture unit of milk and unit 37x  3y 100  4x  3y  100  100
85 13
50 x 25 x
of water is present in the final mixture.
or, 37x - 3y + 8x + 6y = 50x
Now, in the final mixture total milk
or, 45x + 3y = 50x or, 5x = 3y
5 x 8 y 65 x  56 y or, x : y = 3 : 5
=  
7 13 91
 x 3 90 9x
Putting y  5 in (A) and (B), we get 8. In k gm of first alloy copper is x  gm
100 10
Copper = 62.5% and Zinc = 37.5% 10 x
Tin =  x  gm .
100 10
6. Ratio of wine and water = 4:5
Wine in the vessel = 4/9 of the whole In y gm of second alloy copper and other metal except tin
After repeating the process twice 93  3  96y .
  y 
 Tot al quantity of wine - 5 
2
4  100  100
  
 Total quantity of wine  9 4y
Tin = .
100
Total quantity of wine - 5 4 2 In new alloy tin : copper with other metal = 9 : 91
or,  =
Total quantity of wine 9 3 By question,
or, Total quantity of wine × 3 - 5 × 3 = Total quantity of wine × 2
or, Total quantity of wine = 5 × 3 = 15 gallons. x y
  
Hence, the vessel holds 15 gallons.  10 25   9
7. Let the total quantity of mixture in jar be x litres.  9 x 96 y  91
Ratio of liquid A and B in jar = 6 : 5   
 10 100 
6x
Quantity of liquid A in jar = x 5
11
 y1
5x
Quantity of liquid B in jar =  x : y= 5 : 1
11
When 22 litres of liquid is withdrawn, the quantity of liquid 9. Ratio of copper to zinc in the first alloy = 5:2
Ratio of copper to zinc in the second alloy = 3:4
6  22 Let x kg of first alloy be melted together with y kg of second

K
withdrawn =  12 litres
11 alloy in order to make equal content of copper and zinc.
Similarly, the quantity of liquid B withdrawn
 5   3 
5 22  weight of copper =  5  2 x   3  4  y
= = 10 litres    
11
Now, quantity of liquid A left in the jar after withdrawal of 12  5 x  3y 
litres of mixture =  7 kg
 
6x 6 x  132
=  12   2   4 
11 11 weight of zinc =  5  2 x   3  4  y
   
5x 5x  110

KUNDAN
Similarly, B =  10 
11 11 2x  4 y
= kg
Total quantity of liquid B in the jar after addition of 22 litres 7
more of liquid B Ratio of copper to zinc is 1 : 1 in new alloy
5 x  110
 22 
5 x  132 5x  3y 7 1
=
11 11  7 2x  4 y  1
 
Now, from the question  5x + 3y = 2x + 4y
6 x  132

11

20  5x – 2x = 4y – 3y
11 5x  132 57
x 1
6 x  132 20  3x = y  y  3
or, 
5x  132 57 Total weight of new alloy = 56 kg
or, 342x - 7524 = 100x + 2640
1 
or, 242x = 10164
 x   56 = 14 kg
or, x = 42 litres 1 3 

3 
y   56 = 42 kg
  1
3