coolgirl26 wrote:friend gave me this problem to solve..very hard for me.


A cuban cigar would cost 1 dollar less than 1.5 times a french cigar,
had the french cigar cost 0.7 dollar less than it does now.

Arabian cigar costs 50 cents more than 1.5 times the cuban cigar

3 cigars together cost 74.70

What is price of french cigar

Before I start, I'd like to point out that you won't have to do these kinds of calculations on the actual GMAT - EVER!

This is a horrible example of an actual GMAT question, clearly it's made up (and poorly).

First equation:

c = 1.5(f - .7) - 1

Second equation:

a = 1.5c + .5

Third equation:

a + c + f = 74.70

Q: f = ?

Let's start by rearranging the third equation:

f = 74.70 - a - c

We have the value for c from equation 1. Plugging that into equation 2, we get:

a = 1.5(1.5(f - .7) - 1) + .5

And substituting for a and c into our final equation:

f = 74.70 - (1.5(f - .7) - 1) - 1.5(1.5(f - .7) - 1) + .5

Some ugly!

f = 74.70 - (1.5f - 1.05 - 1) - 1.5(1.5f - 1.05 - 1) + .5

f = 74.70 - 1.5f + 2.05 - (2.25f - 1.575 - 1.5) + .5

f = 74.70 -1.5f + 2.05 - 2.25f + 3.075 + .5

f = 80.325 - 3.75f

4.75f = 80.325

f = 80.325/4.75

f = 17ish

Again, I can't overemphasize just how non-GMAT this question is - way too many calculations (heck, I may have even made a few small errors along the way, but I'm not motivated enough to check my work!).

Stuart Kovinsky wrote:

coolgirl26 wrote:friend gave me this problem to solve..very hard for me.


A cuban cigar would cost 1 dollar less than 1.5 times a french cigar,
had the french cigar cost 0.7 dollar less than it does now.

Arabian cigar costs 50 cents more than 1.5 times the cuban cigar

3 cigars together cost 74.70

What is price of french cigar

Before I start, I'd like to point out that you won't have to do these kinds of calculations on the actual GMAT - EVER!

This is a horrible example of an actual GMAT question, clearly it's made up (and poorly).

First equation:

c = 1.5(f - .7) - 1

Second equation:

a = 1.5c + .5

Third equation:

a + c + f = 74.70

Q: f = ?

Let's start by rearranging the third equation:

f = 74.70 - a - c

We have the value for c from equation 1. Plugging that into equation 2, we get:

a = 1.5(1.5(f - .7) - 1) + .5

And substituting for a and c into our final equation:

f = 74.70 - (1.5(f - .7) - 1) - 1.5(1.5(f - .7) - 1) + .5

Some ugly!

f = 74.70 - (1.5f - 1.05 - 1) - 1.5(1.5f - 1.05 - 1) + .5

f = 74.70 - 1.5f + 2.05 - (2.25f - 1.575 - 1.5) + .5

f = 74.70 -1.5f + 2.05 - 2.25f + 3.075 + .5

f = 80.325 - 3.75f

4.75f = 80.325

f = 80.325/4.75

f = 17ish

Again, I can't overemphasize just how non-GMAT this question is - way too many calculations (heck, I may have even made a few small errors along the way, but I'm not motivated enough to check my work!).

I am so glad you say that! I found this question on the free test on GMATscore.com. I am planning to take my GMAT this saturday and it REALLY scared me!!!