Question

INFLATING PRICES BY REDUCING SIZE
a) If a half-gallon (64 ounces ) of ice cream costing $4.79 is reduced in size to 1 and half quarts (48 ounces) and the price is reduced to $3.89, what is the percent of increase in the price of the ice cream
b)If a candy bar weighs 6.8 ounces and costs $1.29 and is then reduced in size to 6.4 ounces but the price remains the same. what is the percent of increase in the cost of the candy bar?

Answer 1

a)
Price per an ounce of ice cream before inflating = $4.79 / 64 = $ 0.07484
Price per an ounce after inflating : $3.89 / 48 = 0.08104
Increase in the price = (0.08104 - 0.07484) / 0.07484 = 0.0828 
         = 0.0828 * 100% = 8.28 %

b)
cost of candy bar per an ounce = $ 1.29 / 6.8 = $ 0.1897
cost of candy bar per ounce after reduction in size = $ 1.29 / 6.4 = $ 0.2015

Increase in the cost = ($0.2015 - $0.1897) / 0.1897 = 0.0622
           = 0.0622 * 100% = 6.22 %