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Register now and save up to $200 Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • 1 Hour Free BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code ## A taxi company charges$1.75 for the first

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NandishSS Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
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#### A taxi company charges $1.75 for the first Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:01 am Elapsed Time: 00:00 • Lap #[LAPCOUNT] ([LAPTIME]) A taxi company charges$1.75 for the first quarter of a mile and fifteen cents for each additional quarter of a mile. What is the maximum distance someone could travel with $4.90? A. 4 miles B. 4 (1/4) miles C. 4 (3/4 )miles D. 5 (1/2) miles E. 6 (1/4) miles OA: D Need free GMAT or MBA advice from an expert? Register for Beat The GMAT now and post your question in these forums! ### GMAT/MBA Expert GMATGuruNY GMAT Instructor Joined 25 May 2010 Posted: 13352 messages Followed by: 1779 members Thanked: 12877 times GMAT Score: 790 Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:25 am NandishSS wrote: A taxi company charges$1.75 for the first quarter of a mile and fifteen cents for each additional quarter of a mile. What is the maximum distance someone could travel with $4.90? A. 4 miles B. 4 (1/4) miles C. 4 (3/4 )miles D. 5 (1/2) miles E. 6 (1/4) miles We can PLUG IN THE ANSWERS, which represent the greatest distance someone could travel with$4.90.
When the correct answer choice is plugged in, the total cost of the trip will not exceed $4.90. E: 6.25 miles Cost of the first quarter-mile =$1.75.
Remaining distance = (total distance - first quarter) = 6.25 - 0.25 = 6 miles = 24 quarter-miles.
At a rate of 15 cents per quarter-mile, the cost of the remaining 24 quarter-miles = (24)(15) = 360 cents = $3.60. Total cost = (cost of the first quarter-mile) + (cost of the remaining quarter-miles) =$1.75 + $3.60 =$5.35.
The total cost is too great.
Eliminate E.

D: 5.5 miles
Cost of the first quarter-mile = $1.75. Remaining distance = (total distance - first quarter) = 5.5 - 0.25 = 5.25 miles = 21 quarter-miles. At a rate of 15 cents per quarter-mile, the cost of the remaining 21 quarter-miles = (21)(15) = 360 cents =$3.15.
Total cost = (cost of the first quarter-mile) + (cost of the remaining quarter-miles) = $1.75 +$3.15 = $4.90. Success! The correct answer is D. _________________ Mitch Hunt GMAT Private Tutor GMATGuruNY@gmail.com If you find one of my posts helpful, please take a moment to click on the "Thank" icon. Available for tutoring in NYC and long-distance. For more information, please email me at GMATGuruNY@gmail.com. Thanked by: NandishSS Free GMAT Practice Test How can you improve your test score if you don't know your baseline score? Take a free online practice exam. Get started on achieving your dream score today! Sign up now. ### GMAT/MBA Expert ceilidh.erickson GMAT Instructor Joined 04 Dec 2012 Posted: 1633 messages Followed by: 224 members Thanked: 1419 times Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:29 pm I would test the answer choices, as Mitch has done. You could also use algebra here, though. The formula for this type of word problem: Total cost = (fixed cost) + (rate)(variable cost) In this case: T = 1.75 + (0.15)(x - 1), where x = total # of quarter-miles. We'll have to convert that to miles later. 4.90 = 1.75 + 0.15(x - 1) 4.90 = 1.75 + 0.15x - 0.15 4.90 = 1.5 + 0.15x 3.40 = 0.15x 340 = 15x x = 22 2/3 22 2/3 quarter-miles is slightly greater than 5.5 miles (22/4) and slightly less than 5.75 miles (23/4). This question assumes that distance can only be in perfect quarter-miles with no fractional charges. Assuming that, then 5.5 miles is the maximum distance one could travel. The answer is D. _________________ Ceilidh Erickson Manhattan Prep GMAT & GRE instructor EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education Harvard Graduate School of Education Manhattan Prep instructors all have 99th+ percentile scores and expert teaching experience. Sign up for a FREE TRIAL, and learn why we have the highest ratings in the GMAT industry! Thanked by: NandishSS Free Manhattan Prep online events - The first class of every online Manhattan Prep course is free. Classes start every week. ### GMAT/MBA Expert ceilidh.erickson GMAT Instructor Joined 04 Dec 2012 Posted: 1633 messages Followed by: 224 members Thanked: 1419 times Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:37 pm Another easy way to solve would be to create a chart to ballpark: We can see that 4.90 will cover over 5 miles, but not 6. We just then have to test whether 5.5 works, as Mitch did. _________________ Ceilidh Erickson Manhattan Prep GMAT & GRE instructor EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education Harvard Graduate School of Education Manhattan Prep instructors all have 99th+ percentile scores and expert teaching experience. Sign up for a FREE TRIAL, and learn why we have the highest ratings in the GMAT industry! Thanked by: NandishSS Free Manhattan Prep online events - The first class of every online Manhattan Prep course is free. Classes start every week. ### GMAT/MBA Expert Brent@GMATPrepNow GMAT Instructor Joined 08 Dec 2008 Posted: 10757 messages Followed by: 1212 members Thanked: 5140 times GMAT Score: 770 Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:01 pm NandishSS wrote: A taxi company charges$1.75 for the first quarter of a mile and fifteen cents for each additional quarter of a mile. What is the maximum distance someone could travel with $4.90? A. 4 miles B. 4 (1/4) miles C. 4 (3/4 )miles D. 5 (1/2) miles E. 6 (1/4) miles OA: D Let's follow the money Start with$4.90

The taxi company charges $1.75 for the first quarter of a mile So, after 0.25 miles, we've spent$1.75

$4.90 -$1.75 = $3.15 So, we have$3.15 remaining, and we've traveled 0.25 miles so far.

The taxi company charges $0.15 for each additional 0.25 miles In other words, for every$0.15, we can travel 0.25 miles
$3.15/$0.15 = 21

So, our remaining $3.15 will buy us 21 additional 0.25-mile advances. (21)(0.25) = 5.25 miles TOTAL DISTANCE = 0.25 + 5.25 = 5.5 miles Answer: D _________________ Brent Hanneson – Founder of GMATPrepNow.com Use our video course along with Check out the online reviews of our course Thanked by: NandishSS GMAT Prep Now's comprehensive video course can be used in conjunction with Beat The GMAT’s FREE 60-Day Study Guide and reach your target score in 2 months! ### GMAT/MBA Expert Rich.C@EMPOWERgmat.com Elite Legendary Member Joined 23 Jun 2013 Posted: 8699 messages Followed by: 460 members Thanked: 2729 times GMAT Score: 800 Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:53 pm Hi NandishSS, Since the answers are NOT nice 'round' numbers, you can use a variation on TESTing THE ANSWERS - but instead of using the answers that are given, you can use round numbers to eliminate options. We're told that the first 1/4 mile costs$1.75 and each additional 1/4 mile costs $0.15. We're asked for the maximum distance that could be traveled for$4.90

The first mile would cost $1.75 + 3($0.15) = $2.20 Each additional mile would cost 4($0.15) = $0.60 So a 5 mile trip would cost$2.20 + 4($0.60) =$2.20 + $2.40 =$4.60

Since we're dealing with $4.90, we will clearly end up going more than 5 miles (so we can eliminate Answers A, B and C)... but we wouldn't travel that much more than 5 miles... From here, it's fairly easy to determine that the additional$0.30 would get us an extra 1/2 mile.

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Rich

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Matt@VeritasPrep GMAT Instructor
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Sun Jul 23, 2017 5:40 pm
1.75 + .15q = 4.90

subtract 1.75:

.15q = 3.15

multiply by 100:

15q = 315

divide by 15:

q = 21

So we could travel an extra 21 quarter miles, or 5.25 miles. Adding the first 1/4 mile to the trip (the one for which we paid $1.75), we have a total of 5.50 miles. Enroll in a Veritas Prep GMAT class completely for FREE. Wondering if a GMAT course is right for you? Attend the first class session of an actual GMAT course, either in-person or live online, and see for yourself why so many students choose to work with Veritas Prep. Find a class now! ### GMAT/MBA Expert Jeff@TargetTestPrep GMAT Instructor Joined 09 Apr 2015 Posted: 323 messages Followed by: 6 members Thanked: 30 times Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:08 am NandishSS wrote: A taxi company charges$1.75 for the first quarter of a mile and fifteen cents for each additional quarter of a mile. What is the maximum distance someone could travel with $4.90? A. 4 miles B. 4 (1/4) miles C. 4 (3/4 )miles D. 5 (1/2) miles E. 6 (1/4) miles We can let x = the number of ¼-miles traveled with$4.90 and create the following equation:

1.75 + 0.15(x - 1) = 4.90

175 + 15x - 15 = 490

160 + 15x = 490

15x = 330

x = 22

We see that 22 quarter-miles can be traveled with \$4.90 and 22 x ¼ = 5 ½ miles.

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