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Register now and save up to $200 Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Get 300+ Practice Questions 25 Video lessons and 6 Webinars for FREE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Free Practice Test & Review How would you score if you took the GMAT Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • 1 Hour Free BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • 5-Day Free Trial 5-day free, full-access trial TTP Quant Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Magoosh Study with Magoosh GMAT prep Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Free Veritas GMAT Class Experience Lesson 1 Live Free Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • Free Trial & Practice Exam BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE Available with Beat the GMAT members only code • 5 Day FREE Trial Study Smarter, Not Harder Available with Beat the GMAT members only code ## OG16 - PS 162 tagged by: Brent@GMATPrepNow This topic has 3 expert replies and 0 member replies amina.shaikh309 Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts Joined 23 Apr 2016 Posted: 31 messages #### OG16 - PS 162 Thu May 26, 2016 5:56 am ttp://postimg.org/image/4h0juuraj/" target="_blank"> 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 Matt@VeritasPrep GMAT Instructor Joined 12 Sep 2012 Posted: 2640 messages Followed by: 113 members Upvotes: 625 Target GMAT Score: V51 GMAT Score: 780 Top Reply Thu May 26, 2016 2:49 pm If we've got 336 = x * y and 336 = (x + 4) * (y - 2) We could factor 336 to look for solutions. Since the answers are likely to have both the time and the hourly rate (in an attempt to trap us if we're not careful), we might cheat with them and assume that they multiply to our number ... which, of course, they do! 336 = 28 * 12 336 = 24 * 14 Since Don's estimate had a lower time and a higher hourly rate, his estimate must've been 24 * 14. We want the time, which must be LOWER than the time in the other equation, so our answer is 24. 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 GMATGuruNY GMAT Instructor Joined 25 May 2010 Posted: 13608 messages Followed by: 1796 members Upvotes: 13060 GMAT Score: 790 Top Reply Thu May 26, 2016 8:09 am Quote: At his regular hourly rate, Don had estimated the labor cost of a repair job as$336 and he was paid that amount. However, the job took 4 hours longer than he had estimated and, consequently, he earned 2\$ per hour less than his regular hourly rate. What was the time Don had estimated for the job, in hours?

28
24
16
14
12
We can PLUG IN THE ANSWERS, which represent the estimated time: 28, 24, 16, 14, or 12.
The actual time was 4 hours longer: 32, 28, 20, 18, or 16.
Both the estimated time and the actual time must divide evenly into 336 (the labor cost).
Since 336 is not a multiple of 32, eliminate A.
Since 336 is not a multiple of 20, eliminate C.
336 is not a multiple of 9, since the sum of its digits is not a multiple of 9.
Thus, 336 is not a multiple of 18; eliminate D.

The correct answer must be B or E.

Answer choice B: estimated time = 24, actual time = 28
Estimated payrate = 336/24 = 14.
Actual payrate = 336/28 = 12.
Difference = 14-12 = 2.
Success!

Note that we had to try only ONE answer choice -- a very efficient way to solve the problem.

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### GMAT/MBA Expert

Matt@VeritasPrep GMAT Instructor
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Thu May 26, 2016 2:49 pm
If we've got

336 = x * y

and

336 = (x + 4) * (y - 2)

We could factor 336 to look for solutions. Since the answers are likely to have both the time and the hourly rate (in an attempt to trap us if we're not careful), we might cheat with them and assume that they multiply to our number ... which, of course, they do!

336 = 28 * 12
336 = 24 * 14

Since Don's estimate had a lower time and a higher hourly rate, his estimate must've been 24 * 14. We want the time, which must be LOWER than the time in the other equation, so our answer is 24.

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!

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