Word Problem: Kaplan WB

[him1985]

Bill purchases an item and recieves no change.Before the purchase, he had only a five dollar bill,two 10-dollar bills, and a 20-dollar bill. How many distinct probabilities are there for the total amount of his purchase?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 6
D. 9
E. 10

Correct Answer : 9 How???
The explaination in book is ambigous. Help Please..

[GMATGuruNY]

Bill purchases an item and recieves no change.Before the purchase, he had only a five dollar bill,two 10-dollar bills, and a 20-dollar bill. How many distinct probabilities are there for the total amount of his purchase?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 6
D. 9
E. 10

Correct Answer : 9 How???
The explaination in book is ambigous. Help Please..

The sum of the bills = 5+10+10+20 = 45.
The purchase amount can be any multiple of 5 between 5 and 45, inclusive:
5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45 = 9 options.

The correct answer is D.

[him1985]

Bill purchases an item and recieves no change.Before the purchase, he had only a five dollar bill,two 10-dollar bills, and a 20-dollar bill. How many distinct probabilities are there for the total amount of his purchase?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 6
D. 9
E. 10

Correct Answer : 9 How???
The explaination in book is ambigous. Help Please..

The sum of the bills = 5+10+10+20 = 45.
The purchase amount can be any multiple of 5 between 5 and 45, inclusive:
5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45 = 9 options.

The correct answer is D.

But question says that before the purchase he had 45 dollar bills and recieved no change after purchase..??? Thats sound confusing..

[Stuart@KaplanGMAT]

But question says that before the purchase he had 45 dollar bills and recieved no change after purchase..??? Thats sound confusing..

Hi!

It doesn't say that he used all of his bills, just that he received no change from the purchase. In other words, he couldn't have bought an item that cost $8, because then he would have received at least $2 in change.

For example, if you walked into a store with $200 in your wallet, selected an item that cost $10 and paid with a 10 dollar bill, it would be correct to say that you received no change (even though you still have $190 in your wallet).