The cost of an article is Rs. 15,500 and the maintenance cost is Rs. 450. If it is sold for a profit of 15%, find the selling price of the article:

Question

Accepted Answer

To determine the selling price of the article, we need to calculate the profit and add it to the total cost of the article, which includes both the initial cost and the maintenance cost.

1. **Calculate the Total Cost:**
   - Initial cost of the article = Rs. 15,500
   - Maintenance cost = Rs. 450
   - Total cost = Initial cost + Maintenance cost = Rs. 15,500 + Rs. 450 = Rs. 15,950

2. **Calculate the Profit:**
   - Profit percentage = 15%
   - Profit amount = 15% of Total cost = 15/100 * Rs. 15,950 = Rs. 2,392.50

3. **Calculate the Selling Price:**
   - Selling Price = Total cost + Profit amount = Rs. 15,950 + Rs. 2,392.50 = Rs. 18,342.50

Therefore, the selling price of the article is Rs. 18,342.50, which corresponds to Option 1.

**Explanation for Other Options:**

- **Option 2: Rs. 18,142.50**
  - This option is incorrect because it does not account for the full profit of 15% on the total cost. The calculated selling price should be Rs. 18,342.50, not Rs. 18,142.50.

- **Option 3: Rs. 17,395.75**
  - This option is incorrect because it significantly underestimates the selling price. The profit calculation is not accurate, as it does not reflect the 15% profit on the total cost.

- **Option 4: Rs. 17,345.7**
  - This option is incorrect for similar reasons as Option 3. It does not accurately reflect the 15% profit on the total cost, resulting in a lower selling price than the correct calculation.

In conclusion, Option 1 is the correct answer because it accurately reflects the selling price of the article when a 15% profit is applied to the total cost, including maintenance.