calendars

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 313
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:01 am
Thanked: 2 times

calendars

by jain2016 » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:38 am
If a stationery store owner buys 50% more identically-priced calendars than she usually purchases, she will be given a 20% discount off the standard price. Her total cost would then be 120 times the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar. How many calendars does she usually purchase?

A) 40

B) 80

C) 100

D) 120

E) 140

OAC

Hi Experts ,

Please check and let me know.

Let c = the number of calendars she usually buys

Let p = the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar

Then (1.5c)(0.8p) is total cost after discount right?

Then what should I do after this?

Please explain .

Many thanks in advance.

SJ
Source: — Problem Solving |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:25 am
Location: Boston, MA
Thanked: 1153 times
Followed by:128 members
GMAT Score:770

by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:46 am
jain2016 wrote:If a stationery store owner buys 50% more identically-priced calendars than she usually purchases, she will be given a 20% discount off the standard price. Her total cost would then be 120 times the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar. How many calendars does she usually purchase?

A) 40

B) 80

C) 100

D) 120

E) 140

OAC

Hi Experts ,

Please check and let me know.

Let c = the number of calendars she usually buys

Let p = the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar

Then (1.5c)(0.8p) is total cost after discount right?

Then what should I do after this?

Please explain .

Many thanks in advance.

SJ

We're told that this amount (1.5c * .8p) is equal to 120 times the original price, or 120p. So now we have 1.5c * .8p = 120p; 1.2pc = 120p; p's cancel out, so 1.2c = 120; c = 100. Answer is C
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:47 am
Hi jain2016,

You've translated part of the prompt, but you still have to create an equation (otherwise there's nothing to 'manipulate.' If you're going to approach this prompt algebraically, then you have to create algebraic equations.

We're told that by buying 50% more calendars, there will be a 20% discount in price AND that new total will be 120 times the regular price of a calendar. The equation would then be...

(1.5c)(0.8p) = 120p

From here, you can combine like terms and simplify:

1.20(c)(p) = 120p
(c)(p) = 100p
c = 100

Final Answer: C

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:53 am
If a stationery store owner buys 50% more identically-priced calendars than she usually purchases, she will be given a 20% discount off the standard price. Her total cost would then be 120 times the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar. How many calendars does she usually purchase?

A)40
B)80
C)100
D)120
E)140
Let the standard price = $10.

She will be given a 20% discount off the standard price.
Discounted price = 10 - 20% of 10 = $8.

Her total cost would then be 120 times the dollar value of the standard price of one calendar.
Total cost = 120*10 = $1200.

For a total cost of $1200, the number of calendars that can be purchased at the discounted price of $8 = 1200/8 = 150.

A stationery store owner buys 50% more identically-priced calendars than she usually purchases.
Since the 150 calendars purchased at the discounted price represent 50% more than the number usually purchased, the number usually purchased = 100.

The correct answer is C.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:53 am
Hi jain2016,

This prompt can also be solved with a combination of TESTing VALUES.

Here's how we can TEST VALUES using 'round numbers':

Regular price = $10 each
Discount price = $8 each

To get the discounted price, we have to buy 50% more calendars... and that total spent would be 120 times $10...

(1.5X)($8) = (120)($10)
$12X = $1200
X = 100 calendars

Final Answer: C

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image