Comprehension

A few years back Mr. Arbit and Mr. Boring started an oil refinery business. Their annual earning is currently just 50,000 million rupees. They are now exploring various options to improve the business. Mr. Xanadu, a salesperson from Innovative Technology Solutions (ITS), is trying to sell a new oil refinery technology to Mr. Arbit and Mr. Boring. This technology could potentially enhance their annual earning to 150,000 million rupees within a year. But they have to make one-time investment of 100,000 million rupees to implement the technology. If the technology is not successful, the investment would be lost. Mr. Arbit and Mr. Boring are discussing about possible risks of the investment.

Question: 1

Mr. Arbit is enthusiastic about this investment idea but Mr. Boring is a little sceptical. This impasse makes them approach a consultant. The consultant makes some observations. Which of the following observations, made by the consultant, might reduce Mr. Arbit’s enthusiasm for the new investment idea?

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Before making an investment, it is important to ensure that the potential benefits significantly outweigh the costs.
Updated On: Aug 30, 2025
  • Investment is warranted only when benefits outweigh costs.
  • Technology investments give higher earnings in future.
  • Investment in technology leads to reduction of costs in the long run.
  • Technology risks can be controlled.
  • Business is all about taking risky decisions.
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

- Mr. Arbit is enthusiastic about the investment idea. However, the consultant's observation that investment is only justified when the benefits outweigh the costs might make Mr. Arbit rethink. If the benefits are not clear or substantial enough, this could reduce his enthusiasm for the investment idea. \[ \boxed{A} \]
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Question: 2

In order to sell the technology to Mr.\ Arbit and Mr.\ Boring, Mr.\ Xanadu is thinking of five possible sales pitches. Which of the following sales pitches would reduce uncertainties the most for Mr.\ Arbit and Mr.\ Boring?

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When asked which statement reduces {uncertainty} most, prefer data that quantifies likelihoods (probabilities, error rates, confidence levels) over narratives or promises.
Updated On: Aug 30, 2025
  • All other competitors are aggressively investing in risky technologies.
  • If the technology succeeds, the annual earnings would grow 3 times from the next financial year and they would be able to recover the invested money within 1 year.
  • Preliminary studies indicate that success rate of the technology is 85%.
  • The R&D team of ITS is working to counter any possible downside of the technology.
  • Business is all about taking risky decisions.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Decision makers want {uncertainty-reducing} information — numbers about likelihoods or risks.
(A) is about competitors’ behavior; it does not quantify the tech’s risk.
(B) gives upside if it {succeeds} but says nothing about the chance of success.
(C) provides a quantitative probability (85% success rate), directly reducing uncertainty.
(D) is process-oriented (“working to counter”) without measurable risk.
(E) is a platitude and adds no data.
\[ \boxed{\text{Choose the option that quantifies risk: (C) with an 85% success probability.}} \]
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Question: 3

Mr. Arbit and Mr. Boring did not invest in the new technology, but the new technology is a big success. Repentant, they are now estimating the additional amount they would have earned (i.e.\ forgone earnings) had they invested in the new technology. However, the two owners differed on expected lifespan of the new technology. Mr. Arbit expected lifespan to be 5 years, whereas Mr. Boring expected it to be 2 years. After the technology gets out-dated, the earnings from the business would drop back to 50{,000 million rupees. What would be the difference between two expected forgone earnings {after 5 years} of the technology investment, if yearly earnings are deposited in a bank @10%, compounded annually?}
Note: Forgone Earnings $=$ (Earnings with new technology) $-$ (Earnings without new technology).

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When two projections differ only in the number of active years, the gap is the future value of the {additional} annuity terms: sum the appropriate compounding factors for those extra years.
Updated On: Aug 30, 2025
  • 231,200 million rupees
  • 331,000 million rupees
  • 400,510 million rupees
  • 431,000 million rupees
  • 464,100 million rupees
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

During the technology’s active life, the business earns 150,000 million per year (given in the data for this set), while without it the earnings are 50,000 million per year.
Hence, the {incremental} earning each active year is \[ \Delta = 150{,}000-50{,}000=100{,}000\ \text{million}. \] Mr.\ Boring expects the tech to last only \(\mathbf{2}\) years, while Mr.\ Arbit expects \(\mathbf{5}\) years. Therefore, the {difference} between their forgone earnings over 5 years equals the future value (at the end of year 5) of the extra three yearly deposits (years 3, 4, 5), each of size \(\Delta\), compounded at \(10%\): \[ \text{Difference} = \Delta\Big[(1.10)^{2}+(1.10)^{1}+(1.10)^{0}\Big] = 100{,}000\,(1.21+1.10+1). \] \[ =100{,}000\times 3.31 = \boxed{331{,}000\ \text{million rupees}}. \]
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