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 →

Yelp

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 1:18 amFollowed by: 3 members
by candygal79 » Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:35 am
Marv earned in two consecutive days a total of 920 dollars. Half of the amount that Marv earned on the first day is 20 dollars less then the amount that he earned on the second day. How much did Marv make on the first day (in dollars)?

A-540 B-200 C-600 D-700 E-640
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:57 am
candygal79 wrote:Marv earned in two consecutive days a total of 920 dollars. Half of the amount that Marv earned on the first day is 20 dollars less then the amount that he earned on the second day. How much did Marv make on the first day (in dollars)?

A-540 B-200 C-600 D-700 E-640
A fast approach here is to plug in the answer choices until you find the one that meets the given conditions.

Alternatively, we can use algebra.

Let x = $ earned on 1st day.

Half of the amount that Marv earned on the first day is 20 dollars less then the amount that he earned on the second day.
So, x/2 + 20 = $ earned on 2nd day.

Marv earned in two consecutive days a total of 920 dollars
So, x + (x/2 + 20) = 920
Eliminate fractions by multiplying both sides by 2 to get: 2x + x + 40 = 1840
Simplify: 3x + 40 = 1840
Subtract 40 from both sides: 3x = 1800
Solve: x = 600

Answer: C

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
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 » Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:03 am
candygal79 wrote:Marv earned in two consecutive days a total of 920 dollars. Half of the amount that Marv earned on the first day is 20 dollars less then the amount that he earned on the second day. How much did Marv make on the first day (in dollars)?

A-200 B-540 C-600 D-640 E-700
We can PLUG IN THE ANSWERS, which represent the amount earned on the first day.
I've reordered the answer choices so that they are in ascending order.
Let F = first-day earnings and S = second-day earnings.
When the correct answer choice is plugged in, half of F will be equal to 20 less than S.

Answer choice C: F = 600
Half of F = 600/2 = 300.
S = total - F - 920-600 = 320.
Success!
Half of F is equal to 20 less than S.

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
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:37 amFollowed by: 2 members
Location: Kolkata, India
Thanked: 50 times

by Abhishek009 » Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:53 am
candygal79 wrote:Marv earned in two consecutive days a total of 920 dollars.
a + b = 920
candygal79 wrote:Half of the amount that Marv earned on the first day is 20 dollars less then the amount that he earned on the second day.
a / 2 = b - 20

a = 2b - 40
candygal79 wrote: How much did Marv make on the first day (in dollars)?
We already know as a + b = 920

Substitute a = 2b - 40

2b - 40 + b = 920

3b = 960

b = 320

So , a = 2b - 40

Or, a = 2*320 - 40

Hence a = 640 - 40

Or ,[spoiler] a = 600[/spoiler]
Abhishek
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1