Question

In an election contested by two candidates, one candidate got 30% of total votes and lost by 500 votes. The total number of votes polled is:

• A. 1350
• B. 1450
• C. 1150
• D. 1250

Hint:

When solving election-related problems, remember to translate the percentage of votes into algebraic expressions and set up an equation based on the given information.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Let the total number of votes polled be \( x \). The first candidate got \( 30% \) of the total votes, i.e., \( 0.3x \). 
The second candidate got the remaining votes, i.e., \( 0.7x \). The difference in votes between the two candidates is given as 500. 
Therefore, we can write the equation: \[ 0.7x - 0.3x = 500 \] \[ 0.4x = 500 \] \[ x = \frac{500}{0.4} = 1250 \] Thus, the total number of votes polled is \( \boxed{1250} \).