Bunuel wrote:
A beer company spent $100,000 last year on hops, yeast, and malt. How much of the total expenditure was for hops?
(1) The expenditure for yeast was 20% greater than the expenditure for malt.
(2) The total expenditure for yeast and malt was equal to the expenditure for hops.
Kudos for a correct solution.
VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:Question Type: What Is the Value? This question asks for the dollar expenditure on hops.
Given information from the question stem: H + Y + M = $100,000 (H = amount spent on hops, Y = amount spent on yeast, M = amount spent on malt).
Statement 1: Y = 1.2M. This would be sufficient if the equation in the facts only included these two variables. But with three variables in the above equation, there is no way to distribute the $100,000. This statement is not sufficient. Eliminate choices A and D.
Statement 2: Y + M = H. This statement seems at first glance to be like Statement 1. However, it contains some hidden information. You’re solving for H, and this statement allows you to plug in “H” for “Y + M” in the equation Y + M + H = 100,000. If you replace Y + M with H, you have H + H = 100,000, so H must be 50,000. Note here the opportunity to Think Like the Testmaker. C is too easy an answer, as it adds a third equation to the three-variable set-up. The testmaker is begging you to pick C, so if you initially went for that answer you should ask yourself whether you can Leverage Assets, and here if you spend a bit more time manipulating Statement 2 you should see that it is sufficient. Because Statement 2 is sufficient,
the correct answer is B.