A fruit seller had some apples. He sold 35% of the apples and still has 325 apples left. How many apples did he have initially

Appeared in: DSSSB - 28 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Explanation

The problem requires calculating the original total when a percentage and the remaining amount are known.
If 35% of apples were sold, the remaining 65% corresponds to the 325 apples left.
The equation to solve is 0.65 * Total = 325.
Dividing 325 by 0.65 gives the initial total of 500 apples.

Option A: This is a percentage value. The question asks for the total number of apples, which is a specific quantity, not a percentage.
Option B: This is a percentage value. The question asks for a numerical count of apples, not a proportion.
Option C: This is a percentage value. The answer must be the total quantity of apples the seller initially possessed.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Percentage and Word Problems as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While this is a general mathematics question, strong numeracy skills are fundamental in nursing.
Nurses regularly perform calculations for medication dosages, IV drip rates, and fluid balance, where a simple percentage error can have serious patient safety consequences.
What if? - If the seller had sold 65% of the apples and had 325 left, the remaining percentage would be 35%. The total would be 325 / 0.35, which is approximately 929 apples.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify what the question is asking for. Here, it's the 'initial' or total number of apples.
Read the word problem carefully to extract the given information: 35% sold and 325 remaining.
Recognize that the remaining quantity (325) corresponds to the remaining percentage (100% - 35% = 65%).
Set up an algebraic equation to represent the relationship: 0.65 * Total = 325.
Solve the equation for the 'Total' variable.
Check the options to see if they match the type of answer required (a quantity, not a percentage) and select the calculated result.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full DSSSB - 28 August 2019 (Shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.