BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Word problem

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:36 pmFollowed by: 1 member
by datonman » Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:55 am
It's these word problems that I feel are tricky. This one I feel would be solved either using an equation or picking numbers. I'm not sure.

If you hire Mary's Car Service to drive you across town, you will be charged $10 plus an additional $2, for each 1/4 mile. Which of the following represents the total number of dollars that you would be charged if the trip is 'n' miles?

A)2n
B)10+2n
C)10+4n
D)10+8n
E)12n
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:25 amFollowed by: 128 members
Location: Boston, MA
Thanked: 1153 times
GMAT Score:770

by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:15 pm
It's these word problems that I feel are tricky. This one I feel would be solved either using an equation or picking numbers. I'm not sure.

If you hire Mary's Car Service to drive you across town, you will be charged $10 plus an additional $2, for each 1/4 mile. Which of the following represents the total number of dollars that you would be charged if the trip is 'n' miles?

A)2n
B)10+2n
C)10+4n
D)10+8n
E)12n
Algebra: We know there are 4 quarter-miles in each mile. If there are n miles, there are a total of 4n quarter-miles. If the charge is $2/quarter mile, that means 4n*2 = 8n dollars beyond the initial $10 charge. Answer: 10 + 8n, D
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2663
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:25 amFollowed by: 128 members
Location: Boston, MA
Thanked: 1153 times
GMAT Score:770

by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:17 pm
Or say n= 1 mile. So you're going 4 quarter-miles. And you're paying $2/quarter mile, so that's $8. Add that to the initial 10, and your cost is $18. Substitute n=1 into the answers and D will give you 18.
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor

Veritas Prep Reviews
Save $100 off any live Veritas Prep GMAT Course
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:17 pm
datonman wrote:It's these word problems that I feel are tricky. This one I feel would be solved either using an equation or picking numbers. I'm not sure.

If you hire Mary's Car Service to drive you across town, you will be charged $10 plus an additional $2, for each 1/4 mile. Which of the following represents the total number of dollars that you would be charged if the trip is 'n' miles?

A)2n
B)10+2n
C)10+4n
D)10+8n
E)12n
A $2 surcharge per 1/4 mile implies an $8 surcharge per mile.
Let n = 1 mile.
Cost for a 1-mile trip = ($10 base fee) + ($8 surcharge per mile) = 10+8 = 18. This is our target.
Now plug n=1 into the answers to see which yields our target of 18.
Only D works:
10 + 8n = 10 + 8*1 = 18.

The correct answer is D.
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
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2135
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:26 amFollowed by: 140 members
Location: https://martymurraycoaching.com/
Thanked: 955 times
GMAT Score:800

by MartyMurray » Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:19 pm
Myself, in this case I would just convert $2 per quarter mile to $8 per mile, and add $10 to get 10 + 8n and be done with it.

For a more complex one it might make sense to plug in numbers if you are not sure how to make the math work otherwise, but getting to the answer to this one is pretty straightforward.
Marty Murray
Perfect Scoring Tutor With Over a Decade of Experience
MartyMurrayCoaching.com
Contact me at [email protected] for a free consultation.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1