Two candidates contested an election. The winning candidate scored 54% and won by 88 votes. If 58 votes were declared invalid, find the total number of votes polled in the election?

Options

A. 1188
B. 1158
C. 1100
D. 1042

Answer

To solve the problem step by step, let's denote the total number of valid votes as \( V \).

1. **Understanding the Votes**:
The winning candidate received 54% of the valid votes, while the losing candidate received the remaining 46%. The difference in votes between the two candidates is given as 88 votes.

2. **Setting Up the Equation**:
We can express the votes received by each candidate in terms of \( V \):
- Votes for the winning candidate = \( 0.54V \)
- Votes for the losing candidate = \( 0.46V \)

According to the problem, the difference in votes is:
\[ 0.54V - 0.46V = 88 \]

3. **Simplifying the Equation**:
Simplifying the left side gives:
\[ 0.08V = 88 \]

4. **Solving for Valid Votes**:
To find \( V \), divide both sides by 0.08:
\[ V = \frac{88}{0.08} = 1100 \]

5. **Calculating Total Votes**:
The total number of votes polled in the election includes both valid and invalid votes. We know there were 58 invalid votes, so:
\[ \text{Total Votes} = V + \text{Invalid Votes} = 1100 + 58 = 1158 \]

6. **Final Answer**:
Therefore, the total number of votes polled in the election is **1158**.