A man ordered 4 pairs of black socks and some pairs of brown socks. The price of a pair of black socks is double that of a brown pair. While preparing the bill the clerk interchanged the number of black and brown pairs by mistake which increased the bill by 50% . The ratio of the number of black and brown pairs of socks in the original order was = ?

Correct Answer: 1 : 4
  Black   :   Brown
Pairs   4 : x
Price   2 : 1
  8 : x

Original bill = 8 + x

  Black   :   Brown
Pairs   x : 4
Price 2 : 1
  2x : 4

New bill = 2x + 4
According to the question,
$$\eqalign{ & \therefore {\text{3}}\left( {8 + x} \right) = 2\left( {2x + 4} \right) \cr & \Rightarrow 24 + 3x = 4x + 8 \cr & \Rightarrow x = 16 \cr & \therefore {\text{ Brown pairs}} = 16 \cr & \therefore {\text{Black pairs}} = 4 \cr & \therefore {\text{Ratio}} \Rightarrow 1:4 \cr} $$