Question:

A man takes a loan of 1000 and repays it by paying 530 at the end of the first year, and 594 at the end of the second year. Find the rate of interest per annum.

Show Hint

In loan installment problems with multiple-choice options, back-solving by plugging in the given interest rates is almost always faster than solving the algebraic equation.
Updated On: Jul 20, 2026
  • 8%
  • 10%
  • 12%
  • 9%
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is A

Approach Solution - 1

Approach: A loan repaid in instalments balances when the loan equals the present value of every instalment discounted back at the rate \(r\). Rather than crack the quadratic, plug the answer options into the present-value equation — the one that returns 1000 is the rate.

Step 1: Write the balance equation.
\[ 1000 = \frac{530}{(1+r)} + \frac{594}{(1+r)^2}. \]

Step 2: Test \(r = 8\%\) so \(1+r = 1.08\).
\(\dfrac{530}{1.08} = 490.74\).
\((1.08)^2 = 1.1664\), so \(\dfrac{594}{1.1664} = 509.26\).
Sum \(= 490.74 + 509.26 = 1000.00\). It matches exactly.

Step 3: Sanity-check \(r = 10\%\).
\(\dfrac{530}{1.1} + \dfrac{594}{1.21} = 481.82 + 490.91 = 972.73 \neq 1000\). Too low — a higher rate over-discounts. Confirms 8% is the fit.

Final answer: 8% — option (A).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

Approach Solution -2

Approach (solve the present-value equation directly): Instead of testing options or reframing as forward growth, solve the discounting equation itself as a quadratic, using \( u = \frac{1}{1+r} \) as the unknown.

Step 1: The balance condition is
\[ 1000 = 530u + 594u^{2}, \quad \text{where } u = \frac{1}{1+r}. \]
Step 2: Rearrange into standard form:
\[ 594u^{2} + 530u - 1000 = 0. \]
Step 3: Solve using the quadratic formula. Discriminant \( = 530^{2} + 4(594)(1000) = 280900 + 2376000 = 2656900 \), and \( \sqrt{2656900} = 1630 \).
\[ u = \frac{-530 + 1630}{1188} = \frac{1100}{1188} = \frac{25}{27}. \]
Step 4: Recover \( r \): since \( u = \frac{1}{1+r} = \frac{25}{27} \), we get \( 1+r = \frac{27}{25} = 1.08 \), so \( r = 0.08 = 8\% \).

Final answer: 8%, option (A).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top CAT Quantitative Aptitude Questions

View More Questions

Top CAT SI & CI Questions

View More Questions