prep question

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prep question

by jamesk486 » Wed May 30, 2007 12:40 pm
Under a certain company's medical insurance plan, the amount an employee must pay for medical expenses consists of payment of the first $450 of expenses plus 20% of additional expenses, up to a maximum total payment of $1,350 per year. All remaining expenses are paid by the plan. Last year, if an employee paid the maximum amount for medical expenses, what is the last amount that the plan could have paid?
(A) $720
(B) $1080
(C) $3600
(D) $4500
(E) $4950
Source: — Problem Solving |

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by mschling52 » Wed May 30, 2007 1:18 pm
Is the answer C - 3600?

Set up an equation for the amount paid by the employee

P = 450 + 0.2x,

where x is the loss amount above $450. Then set this equation equal to the maximum employee payment to figure out the value of x required for the employee to max out his payments

450 + 0.2x = 1350
0.2x = 900
x = 4500

So we know that there must be a loss of $4500 for the employee to max out his payment. In this case, the plan would pay 80% of losses over $450, so

0.8 * x = 0.8 * 4500 = $3600.
Last edited by mschling52 on Wed May 30, 2007 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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by zozo123 » Wed May 30, 2007 1:19 pm
1350-450 = 900

900$ = 20% then the 80% are paid by the plan.
(900/0.2) * 0.8 = 3600$


=> Answer C

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by f2001290 » Thu May 31, 2007 12:39 am
One more for C

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by 800GMAT » Fri Jun 01, 2007 1:15 pm
450 + 0.2x =1350

the insurance will pay 80% of x

solving for x and substituting in 0.8x
= 3600

C