A bakery bakes two kinds of bread, X and Y...

This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 2218
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 2:04 pm
Followed by:6 members

A bakery bakes two kinds of bread, X and Y...

by swerve » Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:37 pm
A bakery bakes two kinds of bread X and Y. With the same amount of money, you can afford either 2/3 pounds of bread X or 1 1/4 of bread Y. How many pounds can I afford of bread Y, with the same amount can I buy 1 1/2 of X?

$$A.\ \ \frac{5}{4}$$
$$B.\ 1\ \frac{1}{4}$$
$$C.\ 2\ \frac{13}{16}$$
$$D.\ 3\ \frac{3}{7}$$
$$E.\ 5\ \frac{1}{4}$$

The OA is C.

Please, can any expert explain this PS question for me? I tried to solve it but I'm not sure about my solution. I need your help. Thanks.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Jan 06, 2018 3:37 pm
swerve wrote:A bakery bakes two kinds of bread X and Y. With the same amount of money, you can afford either 2/3 pounds of bread X or 1 1/4 of bread Y. How many pounds can I afford of bread Y, with the same amount can I buy 1 1/2 of X?

$$A.\ \ \frac{5}{4}$$
$$B.\ 1\ \frac{1}{4}$$
$$C.\ 2\ \frac{13}{16}$$
$$D.\ 3\ \frac{3}{7}$$
$$E.\ 5\ \frac{1}{4}$$
You can afford either 2/3 pounds of bread X or 1 1/4 of bread Y.
(2/3)X = (5/4)Y
X = (3/2)(5/4)Y
X = (15/8)Y.

How many pounds can I afford of bread Y, with the same amount can I buy 1 1/2 of X?
(3/2)X = (3/2)(15/8)Y = (45/16)Y = 2 and 13/16 Y.

The correct answer is C.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 7223
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 10:56 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Thanked: 43 times
Followed by:29 members

by Scott@TargetTestPrep » Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:42 pm
swerve wrote:A bakery bakes two kinds of bread X and Y. With the same amount of money, you can afford either 2/3 pounds of bread X or 1 1/4 of bread Y. How many pounds can I afford of bread Y, with the same amount can I buy 1 1/2 of X?

$$A.\ \ \frac{5}{4}$$
$$B.\ 1\ \frac{1}{4}$$
$$C.\ 2\ \frac{13}{16}$$
$$D.\ 3\ \frac{3}{7}$$
$$E.\ 5\ \frac{1}{4}$$

The OA is C.

Please, can any expert explain this PS question for me? I tried to solve it but I'm not sure about my solution. I need your help. Thanks.
Let 2/3 lbs of bread X cost n dollars. Then, one pound of bread X costs n/(2/3) = 3n/2 dollars.

Since 2/3 lbs of bread X costs n dollars, 1 1/4 = 5/4 lbs of bread Y also costs n dollars and hence, one pound of bread Y costs n/(5/4) = 4n/5 dollars.

1 1/2 = 3/2 lbs of bread X costs 3/2 * 3n/2 = 9n/4 dollars. With 9n/4 dollars, one can buy (9n/4)/(4n/5) = (9n/4)*(5/4n) = 45/16 = 2 13/16 lbs of bread Y.

Answer: C

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews

ImageImage