A store currently charges the same price for each towel that it sells. If the current price for each towel were increased by 1, 10 fewer of the towels could be bought for $120, excluding sales tax. What is the current price of each towel?
a.1
b.2
c.3
d.4
e.12
stumped on how to translate this into two equations of
1st equation : pn = 120 (this part i understand)
2nd equation : (p=1)(n-10) = 120
how do i come to the second equation. where can i learn some tranlsations basics?
qa s c
og ps 200 math translations
This topic has expert replies
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:05 pm
- Thanked: 18 times
- Followed by:1 members
you get 2 equations:
pn = 120 or n = 120/p
(p+1)(n-10) = 120 or (p+1)(120/p-10)=120
solving for p:
(p+1)(120/p-10)=120
(p+1)(12/p-1)=12
(12-p)+(12/p-1)=12
12p-p^2+12-p=12p
p^2+p-12=0
(p+4)(p-3)=0
p= -4 or 3 since we can't have negative towels the answer is 3
I think for this particular problem the best strategy is to look at the answers provided and see that 3 is the best choice. $120 buys you 40 towels at $3 each and 30 (10 less) at 4$ (+1) each.
pn = 120 or n = 120/p
(p+1)(n-10) = 120 or (p+1)(120/p-10)=120
solving for p:
(p+1)(120/p-10)=120
(p+1)(12/p-1)=12
(12-p)+(12/p-1)=12
12p-p^2+12-p=12p
p^2+p-12=0
(p+4)(p-3)=0
p= -4 or 3 since we can't have negative towels the answer is 3
I think for this particular problem the best strategy is to look at the answers provided and see that 3 is the best choice. $120 buys you 40 towels at $3 each and 30 (10 less) at 4$ (+1) each.
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 789
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 1:25 am
- Location: Southern California, USA
- Thanked: 15 times
- Followed by:6 members
the algebra is the easier part the harder part. THe harder part of this is the english to algebraic translation. How to do that is puzzling me!?
Appetite for 700 and I scraped my plate!
Hi Enginpasa1, like xilef said, I think that this problem is meant to puzzle you while you try to resolve two equations . The best and most effefctive way IMO to solve this question is by using the answer choices and seeing what fits.Enginpasa1 wrote:the algebra is the easier part the harder part. THe harder part of this is the english to algebraic translation. How to do that is puzzling me!?
you start with 12$ a shirt for example, see how many you can buy for 120$ (that's 10) and how many you can buy for one dollar more, or 13$ (that's less than 10) incorrect answer. move on to 4$ a shirt, you can buy 30 shirts for 120$, and 22 shirts for 5$, we're looking for a difference of 10 shirts so [D] isn't it either. try [C] and see that it fits.
Try working this way instead of building complicated equations.
Smashed the GMAT: 760