How to Solve Mixed Graph Questions in DI? Tips & Tricks

Dear Readers,

Here we are with important tips and methods to solve Mixed Chart Questions in Data Interpretation which are usually asked in CSAT Exams. You should use short cuts mentioned in this article to solve questions within minimum time. These shortcuts will be very helpful for the upcoming CSAT Exams of 2019.

Mixed Graphs

Introduction

Candidates have a belief that mixing the data interpretation types complicates the data representation, which is not the case. Mixed Graph, if interpreted correctly, is the simplest form of data representation. In Mixed Graphs, we encounter a combination of two (or sometimes more) types of data representation, which are :

1. Pie Chart and Data Table
2. Data Table and Line Graph
3. Bar Graph and Line Graph
4. Pie Chart and Line Graph
5. Pie Chart and Pie Chart

The above-mentioned types are the most common ones.

Sample Question

Directions: Five different companies A, B, C, D and E make two items I and II. The total number of items produced by these five companies is 80 thousand. The cost of production of each item is Rs 5000. The distribution of the total production by these companies is given in the following pie-chart and the table shows the ratio of production of Item I to that of Item II and the percentage profit earned by these companies on each of these items.

Question 1: What is the profit earned by Company C on Item II?

[1] Rs 57.6 lakhs
[2] Rs 55.4 lakhs
[3] Rs 56.8 lakhs
[4] Rs 54 lakhs

Being good at dealing with ratios helps much in solving these sorts of questions. Let’s realize the final answer step by step.

Number of items produced by company C = [72/360]*80000 = X
Cost of production = X*5000 = Y
Cost of production of Item II = [3/5]*Y = Z
Percent profit earned on Item II = 12% of Z = [12/100]*Z
= [3/5]*[12/100]*Y  = 5000*[3/5]*[12/100]*X
= [72/360]*80000*[3/5]*5000*[12/100] = 5760000 = 57.6 lakh. Answer [1] is correct.

NOTE: With adequate practice, you can easily compute all this in just a single step!

Question 2: What is the total cost of production of Item I by companies A and B together?

[1] Rs 5 crores
[2] Rs 6 crores
[3] Rs 8 crores
[4] Rs 9 crores

Using the approach as mentioned above:

Cost of producing Item I of company A = [90/360]*80000*[2/5]*5000
Cost of producing Item I of company B = [108/360]*80000*[1/3]*5000
Total = 80000*5000*[(90/360)*(2/5) + (108/360)*(1/3)] = 80000*5000*[1/5] = 8 crores.
Answer [3] is correct.

Question 3: What is the total of the profit earned by Company E on the production of Item I and the profit of Company D on the production of Item II?

[1] Rs 1.56 crores
[2] Rs 2.2 crores
[3] Rs 1.3 crores
[4] Rs 2.6 crores

Using a similar approach:

Total = 80000*5000*[(36/360)*(4/5)*(30/100) + (54/360)*(2/5)*(25/100)] = 1.56 crores.
Answer [1] is correct.

Question 4: What is the ratio of the cost of production of Item II by Company A to the cost of production of Item I by Company E?

[1] 17:12
[2] 4:5
[3] 7:4
[4] 15:8

Solution :

[90/360]*[3/5] : [36/360]*[4/5] = 90*3 : 36*4 = 30:16 = 15:8.
Answer [4] is correct.

Question 5: The cost of production of Item II for Company E is what per cent of the cost of production of Item I for Company A?

[1] 80%
[2] 20%
[3] 60%
[4] 75%

 the required percentage is:

{([36/360]*[1/5]) / ([90/360]*[2/5])}*100 = [36/180]*100 = 20 percent.
Answer [2] is correct.