• 5-Day Free Trial
5-day free, full-access trial TTP Quant

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• 5 Day FREE Trial
Study Smarter, Not Harder

Available with Beat the GMAT members only code

• 1 Hour Free
BEAT THE GMAT EXCLUSIVE

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

• Award-winning private GMAT tutoring
$from tip: 2 TOTAL revenue = x + 2 All of the money Jason receives from the renters including the tip is divided evenly among the five family members. So, Jason's share = (x+2)/5 Jason spends six dollars of his share leaving him with y dollars from the rental venture. So, (x+2)/5 - 6 = y Which of the following represents the amount, x, that Jason charged for the house rental? Solve the equation for x (x+2)/5 - 6 = y Add 6 to both sides to get: (x+2)/5 = y+6 Multiply both sides by 5 to get: x+2 = 5(y+6) Subtract 2 from both sides to get: x = 5(y+6) - 2 Simplify to get: x = 5y + 28 = C Cheers, Brent _________________ Brent Hanneson â€“ Founder of GMATPrepNow.com Use our video course along with Check out the online reviews of our course Come see all of our free resources GMAT Prep Now's comprehensive video course can be used in conjunction with Beat The GMATâ€™s FREE 60-Day Study Guide and reach your target score in 2 months! ### GMAT/MBA Expert Brent@GMATPrepNow GMAT Instructor Joined 08 Dec 2008 Posted: 10889 messages Followed by: 1215 members Thanked: 5211 times GMAT Score: 770 Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:08 am sanju09 wrote: Jason collects x dollars by renting out his family's house while they are on vacation. He also receives a 2-dollar tip from the renters. Jason's family has five members including Jason, and all of the money Jason receives from the renters including the tip is divided evenly among the five family members. Jason spends six dollars of his share leaving him with y dollars from the rental venture. Which of the following represents the amount, x, that Jason charged for the house rental? (A) 5 â€¢ (y + 6) / 2 (B) ((y + 6) / 5) - 2 (C) 5y + 28 (D) 5y + 8 (E) 2 â€¢ (y + 6) / 5 Here's a solution using the input-output approach: Let's choose a nice value of x (rental price) that yields a nice y-value (Jason's remaining money). Let's say x = 28 If x =$28, then the TOTAL revenue (after the tip) = $30, which means Jason's share is$6
Once Jason spends $6, he has$0 remaining.
In other words, y = 0

So, when y = 0, x = 28
Now we'll check the answer choices to see which one yields an output of 28 when y = 0

(A) 5 â€¢ (y + 6) / 2 = 5 â€¢ (0 + 6) / 2 = 15 (NOPE)
(B) ((y + 6) / 5) - 2 = ((0 + 6) / 5) - 2 = negative something (NOPE)
(C) 5y + 28 = 5(0) + 28 = 28 BINGO!!
(D) 5y + 8 = 5(0) + 8 = 8 (NOPE)
(E) 2 â€¢ (y + 6) / 5 = 2 â€¢ (0 + 6) / 5 = 12/5 (NOPE)

Cheers,
Brent

_________________
Brent Hanneson â€“ Founder of GMATPrepNow.com
Use our video course along with

Check out the online reviews of our course
Come see all of our free resources

Thanked by: lucas211
GMAT Prep Now's comprehensive video course can be used in conjunction with Beat The GMATâ€™s FREE 60-Day Study Guide and reach your target score in 2 months!
theCodeToGMAT Legendary Member
Joined
14 Aug 2012
Posted:
1556 messages
Followed by:
34 members
Thanked:
448 times
Target GMAT Score:
750
GMAT Score:
650
Sat Dec 28, 2013 8:30 am
Rent = x
Total Amount = x + 2
Share per person = (x+2)/5

(x+2)/5 - 6 = y
x + 2 = 5 (y+6)
x = 5(y+6) - 2
x = 5y + 28
{C}

_________________
R A H U L

Thanked by: Gurpreet singh

### GMAT/MBA Expert

sanju09 GMAT Instructor
Joined
21 Jan 2009
Posted:
3650 messages
Followed by:
81 members
Thanked:
267 times
GMAT Score:
760
Sat Dec 28, 2013 10:32 pm
Brent's second approach is wonderful. It makes life easy for those who are not very comfortable at Algebra. Hope Brent or Rahul pay their two bits at the following thread too:

http://www.beatthegmat.com/on-this-christmas-merry-t272911.html#706570

_________________
The mind is everything. What you think you become. â€“Lord Buddha

Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com

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.
Amrabdelnaby Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Joined
13 Nov 2015
Posted:
137 messages
Followed by:
2 members
Thanked:
1 times
Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:11 am
Hello Brent,

I actually solved this question using the algebra; however i see that u used it using plug ins method.

I am a bit of good in both; however I want to ask you, in general, when should I use plug ins and when should i use algebra? what signs should i look for that would guide me to a faster solving approach.

I don't want to for example start using algebra and find it time consuming then switch to plug ins during the exam. I will waste a lot of time

Thanks

Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:
sanju09 wrote:
Jason collects x dollars by renting out his family's house while they are on vacation. He also receives a 2-dollar tip from the renters. Jason's family has five members including Jason, and all of the money Jason receives from the renters including the tip is divided evenly among the five family members. Jason spends six dollars of his share leaving him with y dollars from the rental venture. Which of the following represents the amount, x, that Jason charged for the house rental?
(A) 5 â€¢ (y + 6) / 2
(B) ((y + 6) / 5) - 2
(C) 5y + 28
(D) 5y + 8
(E) 2 â€¢ (y + 6) / 5
Here's an algebraic approach:

$from rental: x$ from tip: 2
TOTAL revenue = x + 2

All of the money Jason receives from the renters including the tip is divided evenly among the five family members.
So, Jason's share = (x+2)/5

Jason spends six dollars of his share leaving him with y dollars from the rental venture.
So, (x+2)/5 - 6 = y

Which of the following represents the amount, x, that Jason charged for the house rental?
Solve the equation for x
(x+2)/5 - 6 = y
Add 6 to both sides to get: (x+2)/5 = y+6
Multiply both sides by 5 to get: x+2 = 5(y+6)
Subtract 2 from both sides to get: x = 5(y+6) - 2
Simplify to get: x = 5y + 28 = C

Cheers,
Brent

### GMAT/MBA Expert

Brent@GMATPrepNow GMAT Instructor
Joined
08 Dec 2008
Posted:
10889 messages
Followed by:
1215 members
Thanked:
5211 times
GMAT Score:
770
Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:56 am
Amrabdelnaby wrote:
Hello Brent,

I actually solved this question using the algebra; however i see that u used it using plug ins method.

I am a bit of good in both; however I want to ask you, in general, when should I use plug ins and when should i use algebra? what signs should i look for that would guide me to a faster solving approach.

I don't want to for example start using algebra and find it time consuming then switch to plug ins during the exam. I will waste a lot of time

Thanks
Great question.
Here's my not-so-great response: It really depends on each test-taker's strengths and weaknesses.
In general, I like to look for an algebraic response first, but if it looks it will be a tedious process, I might go to the plug-in approach.
The plug-in approach USUALLY takes longer (since you have to check EVERY answer choice), but it's a great option if you don't know how to solve it algebraically.
I suggest that people try to solve these kinds of questions using BOTH approaches as they practice to help them see which one works best for them.

If you'd like more information on these two approaches, we have some free videos:
- Variables in the Answer Choices - http://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat-word-problems/video/933
- Tips for the Algebraic Approach - http://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat-word-problems/video/934
- Tips for the Input-Output Approach - http://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat-word-problems/video/935

Cheers,
Brent

_________________
Brent Hanneson â€“ Founder of GMATPrepNow.com
Use our video course along with

Check out the online reviews of our course
Come see all of our free resources

GMAT Prep Now's comprehensive video course can be used in conjunction with Beat The GMATâ€™s FREE 60-Day Study Guide and reach your target score in 2 months!

### Best Conversation Starters

1 LUANDATO 131 topics
2 lheiannie07 87 topics
3 Roland2rule 79 topics
4 AAPL 75 topics
5 swerve 68 topics
See More Top Beat The GMAT Members...

### Most Active Experts

1 EconomistGMATTutor

The Economist GMAT Tutor

164 posts
2 Jay@ManhattanReview

Manhattan Review

128 posts
3 Brent@GMATPrepNow

GMAT Prep Now Teacher

124 posts
4 GMATGuruNY

The Princeton Review Teacher

121 posts
5 Rich.C@EMPOWERgma...

EMPOWERgmat

120 posts
See More Top Beat The GMAT Experts