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rented car

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by LevelOne » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:42 pm
Three friends rented a car for a week and divided the cost equally. What was the total cost of renting the car?

(1) if the three friends had kept the car for a second week, they could have obtained the two-week rate, which was 1.5 times the cost of one-week rental.
(2) if a fourth friend had joined the three friends and the cost had been divided equally among the four friends, the cost to each of the original three would have been reduced by $15.

(1) does not arise any questions to me; (2) would the equation look like:

x + (x-15) + (x-15) + (x-15)=100

?? thanks
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Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by abhinav85 » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:47 pm
IMO B

What is the OA???
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by LevelOne » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:50 pm
OA is B. What are your thoughts on the equation in (2)?
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Re: rented car

by PussInBoots » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:52 pm
LevelOne wrote:Three friends rented a car for a week and divided the cost equally. What was the total cost of renting the car?

(1) if the three friends had kept the car for a second week, they could have obtained the two-week rate, which was 1.5 times the cost of one-week rental.
Definitely not sufficient enough by itself
LevelOne wrote:(2) if a fourth friend had joined the three friends and the cost had been divided equally among the four friends, the cost to each of the original three would have been reduced by $15.
x - how much three friends paid. Total cost = 3*x
after their friend joined, three friends paid x-15. Total cost = 4 *(x-15)
3x = 4x - 60 => x=60. Total cost = 180
So (A), (C) and (E) are wrong answers. Since (1) is not sufficient enough, (D) is wrong too.

The answer is (B)
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by LevelOne » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:04 pm
it says 'the cost to each of the original three would have been reduced by $15.

you say: Total cost = 4 *(x-15). it looks like you are reducing the cost of the 4th one by 15 as well. pls explain.
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by rahulg83 » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:36 pm
Hi

If x is the total cost of renting, then it will cost x/3 too each of the three friends. But if fourth person joins them, each will have to expend x/4
now x/3-x/4 = 15
=> x= 12*15 = 180
therefore statement 2 is sufficient..B
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by LevelOne » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:25 pm
thanks, guys
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