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The base exchange rate of a currency X with respect to a currency Y is the number of units of currency Y which is equivalent in value to one unit of currency X. Currency exchange outlets buy currency at buying exchange rates that are lower than base exchange rates, and sell currency at selling exchange rates that are higher than base exchange rates.

A currency exchange outlet uses the local currency L to buy and sell three international currencies A, B, and C, but does not exchange one international currency directly with another. The base exchange rates of A, B and C with respect to L are in the ratio 100:120:1. The buying exchange rates of each of A, B, and C with respect to L are 5% below the corresponding base exchange rates, and their selling exchange rates are 10% above their corresponding base exchange rates.

The following facts are known about the outlet on a particular day:

  1. The amount of L used by the outlet to buy C equals the amount of L it received by selling C.
  1. The amounts of L used by the outlet to buy A and B are in the ratio 5:3.
  1. The amounts of L the outlet received from the sales of A and B are in the ratio 5:9.
  1. The outlet received 88000 units of L by selling A during the day.
  1. The outlet started the day with some amount of L, 2500 units of A, 4800 units of B, and 48000 units of C.
  1. The outlet ended the day with some amount of L, 3300 units of A, 4800 units of B, and 51000 units of C.

What was the base exchange rate of currency B with respect to currency L on that day?

Entered answer:

Solution

✅ Correct Answer: 240
Slide 1/11

Understanding the set :-

  1. Imagine a money exchange shop. This shop deals in three foreign currencies—let’s call them A, B, and C—and it only uses local currency L to buy and sell them.

So, if someone wants to exchange currency A for B, the shop will first convert A to L, then L to B. It doesn’t exchange A directly for B or C.

  1. Now, the shop has a standard value (called the base rate) for how much one unit of each currency is worth in L. For example:

a) 1 unit of A = 100 units of L

b) 1 unit of B = 120 units of L

c) 1 unit of C = 1 unit of L

(This is a ratio: 100 : 120 : 1)

3)But like any business, the shop buys cheap and sells expensive to make a profit:

It buys A, B, or C at 5% less than the base rate

It sells A, B, or C at 10% more than the base rate.

In this set, our task would be to find the number of units purchased or sold of any particular currency by the exchange shop.

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rate
A
B
C

We know, The base exchange rates of A, B and C with respect to L are in the ratio 100:120:1.

Let us assume that base exchange rates are '100a', '120a' and 'a' in that order.

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rate
A95a100a110a
B114a120a132a
C0.95aa1.1a

Now, we are given that,

The buying exchange rates of each of A, B, and C with respect to L are 5% below the corresponding base exchange rates.

Therefore, we can say that the buying exchange rates are 95a, 114a, 0.95a.

Similarly, their selling exchange rates are 10% above their corresponding base exchange rates.

=> we can say that the selling exchange rates are 110a, 132a, 1.1a.

In currency transactions, getting the basic outline is very important.

So, if the base rate of A w.r.t to L is 100, then to buy one unit of A, we need 95 units of L and if we sell one unit of A, we will get 110 units of L.

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a2500
B114a120a132a4800
C0.95aa1.1a48000

Using clue 5,

The outlet started the day with some amount of L, 2500 units of A, 4800 units of B, and 48000 units of C.

This clue gives us the opening stock of all the currencies with the exchange shop.

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a25003300
B114a120a132a48004800
C0.95aa1.1a4800051000

Using clue 6 ;

The outlet ended the day with some amount of L, 3300 units of A, 4800 units of B, and 51000 units of C.

This clue gives us the closing stock of all the currencies with the exchange shop.

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a2500pp - 8003300
B114a120a132a4800qq4800
C0.95aa1.1a48000rr - 300051000

Let 'p', 'q' and 'r' be the number of units of currency A, B and C bought by the outlet on that day.

=> Number of units sold of A = p - (3000−2500)=(3000 - 2500) = p - 800800

and, number of units sold of B = q−(4800−4800)=qq - (4800 - 4800) = q

and, number of units sold of C = r−(51000−48000)=r−3000r - (51000 - 48000) = r - 3000

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a2500pp - 8003300
B114a120a132a4800qq4800
C0.95aa1.1a48000220001900051000

Clue 1 says,

The amount of L used by the outlet to buy C equals the amount of L it received by selling C.

⇒0.95a∗r=1.1a∗(r−3000) 0.95a*r = 1.1a*(r - 3000)

⇒ 0.15r=33000.15r = 3300

⇒ r=22000r = 22000

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a2500pp - 8003300
B114a120a132a48006006004800
C0.95aa1.1a48000220001900051000

Clue 3 says,

The amounts of L the outlet received from the sales of A and B are in the ratio 5:9.

=> (p−800)⋅110aq⋅132a=59 \frac{(p - 800) \cdot 110a}{q \cdot 132a} = \frac{5}{9}

=>(2q−800)⋅110aq⋅132a=59 \frac{(2q - 800) \cdot 110a}{q \cdot 132a} = \frac{5}{9}

=> q=600q = 600

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A95a100a110a250012004003300
B114a120a132a48006006004800
C0.95aa1.1a48000220001900051000

Clue 2 says,

The amounts of L used by the outlet to buy A and B are in the ratio 5:3.

=> p⋅95aq⋅114a=53\frac{p \cdot 95a}{q \cdot 114a} = \frac{5}{3}

=> p=2qp = 2q

=> p=2∗600p = 2 * 600

=> p=1200 p = 1200

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A190200220250012004003300
B22824026448006006004800
C1.922.248000220001900051000

Clue 4 says,

The outlet received 88000 units of L by selling A during the day.

⇒ (p−800)∗110a=88000(p-800)*110a = 88000

⇒ (1200−800)∗110a=88000(1200-800)*110a = 88000

⇒ 44000a=8800044000a = 88000

⇒ a=2a = 2

CurrencyBuying rateBase rateSelling rateOpening stockBuySellClosing stock
A190200220250012004003300
B22824026448006006004800
C1.922.248000220001900051000

the base exchange rate of currency B with respect to currency L was 240.

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