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Quantitative Aptitude: Variation-Chain rule concept

Variation-Chain rule
If 10 hens lay 10 eggs in 10 days, how many eggs will 1 hen lay in 1 day?

When one instance of a problem is given & a question is asked on another instance, it involves a rule called chain rule.

A very simple example 

4 carpenters make 20 chairs in 5 days. How many chairs will 8 carpenters make in 10 days?

4 carpenters make 20 chairs in 5 days. So 8 carpenters will make double the number of chairs in 5 days (same time as earlier) i.e. 20 × (8/4) = 40 chairs

So, 8 carpenters will make in 10 days= 40 × (10/5) = 80 chairs ==> Final Answer

Easy, isn't it. But don't underestimate these type of questions. When a long chain rule is applied, it becomes complicated to solve the question as it will involve many steps by this approach.

A General Approach to be followed 

To ease out the step by step process, there is a general approach. It is easier than above method & applicable for any number of steps involved, called Direct Proportionality rule.

Direct proportionality rule 

E.g: Eight men working 10 hrs everyday can completely build a wall of length 180 m, breadth 4 m and height 20 m in 20 days. In how many days can 12 men working 8 hrs a day build a wall of length 300 m, breadth 6 m and height 12 m?

Since we have to find the number of days, so we will use the proportion relative to the number of days.

In General, 
==> for less days to be involved, we use proportion making less than 1.
==> for more days to be involved, use proportion making greater than 1.

  • 8-->12 men means less days will be taken to do the work. So we use 8/12.
  • 10-->8 hrs per day means more days will be taken. So we use 10/8 this time.
  • 180-->300 m means more length-->more days. Thus we use 300/180
  • 4-->6 m means more breadth-->more days. Thus we use 6/4.
  • 20-->12 means less height-->less days. Thus we use 12/20.
In case of other problems, we will define proportions in terms of the quantity asked in the problem.

I hope this concept is clear to everyone & in general could be used to any problem involving chain variation.

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