BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

A nut mix contains, by weight, 20 percent peanuts and...

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 2535
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:04 pmFollowed by: 6 members
by swerve » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:50 am
A nut mix contains, by weight, 20 percent peanuts, and 80 percent cashews. If the mixture costs 10 percent more than the cost of an equal quantity of pure peanuts, by what percent are cashews more expensive than peanuts?

A. 10%
B. 12.5%
C. 15.0%
D. 22.5%
E. 25.0%

The OA is B.

I think that I can solve this PS question in the following way,

Let the price of 100g peanuts be 100$.

So the price of 100 g mix = 110(20 g peanut + 80 g cashews).

Now 500 g mix will be 550(100 g peanut+400 g cashew).

As we know the price of 100 g peanut is 100; the price of 400 g cashews is 450.

So (450/400)*100=112.5, 12.5% more than the price of 100 g peanuts, right?

Is there a strategic approach to this question? Can any experts help, please?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 94
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:50 amFollowed by: 4 members
Location: London, UK
Thanked: 2 times
GMAT Score:770

by mbawisdom » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:58 am
swerve wrote:A nut mix contains, by weight, 20 percent peanuts, and 80 percent cashews. If the mixture costs 10 percent more than the cost of an equal quantity of pure peanuts, by what percent are cashews more expensive than peanuts?

A. 10%
B. 12.5%
C. 15.0%
D. 22.5%
E. 25.0%

The OA is B.

I think that I can solve this PS question in the following way,

Let the price of 100g peanuts be 100$.

So the price of 100 g mix = 110(20 g peanut + 80 g cashews).

Now 500 g mix will be 550(100 g peanut+400 g cashew).

As we know the price of 100 g peanut is 100; the price of 400 g cashews is 450.

So (450/400)*100=112.5, 12.5% more than the price of 100 g peanuts, right?

Is there a strategic approach to this question? Can any experts help, please?
P = cost of bag of peanuts
C = cost of bag of cashews
T1 = cost of mixture 1
T2 = cost of mixture 2

T1 = 0.2P + 0.8C
T2 = 1P

We know that T1 = 1.1T2
0.2P + 0.8C = 1.1(P)
0.8C = 0.9P
C/P = 0.9/0.8 = 1.125

Cashews cost 12.5% more than Peanuts
Answer = B.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1462
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:34 amFollowed by: 22 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 39 times

by Jeff@TargetTestPrep » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:50 am
swerve wrote:A nut mix contains, by weight, 20 percent peanuts, and 80 percent cashews. If the mixture costs 10 percent more than the cost of an equal quantity of pure peanuts, by what percent are cashews more expensive than peanuts?

A. 10%
B. 12.5%
C. 15.0%
D. 22.5%
E. 25.0%
We can assume that are 10 lbs of mixed nuts; so there are 2 lbs of peanuts and 8 lbs of cashews. We can also assume that the peanuts cost $10 per pound; so the mixed nuts cost $11 per pound. Now if we let c = the cost of cashews, we have:

2(10) + 8c = 10(11)

20 + 8c = 110

8c = 90

c = 90/8 = 45/4 = 11.25

Thus, the cashews are (11.25 - 10)/10 = 1.25/10 = 0.125 = 12.5% more expensive than the peanuts.

Answer: B

Jeffrey Miller
Head of GMAT Instruction
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1