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# A jewelry dealer initially offered a bracelet for sale at an

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Manager
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A jewelry dealer initially offered a bracelet for sale at an [#permalink]  08 Sep 2005, 00:48
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A jewelry dealer initially offered a bracelet for sale at an asking price that would give a profit to the dealer of 40 percent of the original cost. What was the original cost of the bracelet?

(1) After reducing this asking price by 10 percent, the jewelry dealer sold the bracelet at a profit of $403. (2) The jewelry dealer sold the bracelet for$1,953.

Last edited by trulyblessed on 08 Sep 2005, 09:11, edited 1 time in total.
Senior Manager
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If the profit made at the eventual selling price was $403, from the question stem we know that, if X is the original cost, (403+X)(1.1)-X =0.4X. So we can solve for X easily, and statement 1 is sufficient. Statement 2 only tells us the selling price. But we don't know what the original asking price was, so we have no way of determining the original cost. Insufficient. Answer is A. Manager Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 136 Followers: 1 Kudos [?]: 1 [0], given: 0 [#permalink] 08 Sep 2005, 07:57 I think that 2) is sufficient also. We know the price = 1953 Price - cost = profit =>1953-cost = profit. From the stem =>Profit/cost =40% =>1953-cost/cost = 0.4 => so we can find cost. Where is my mistake? Current Student Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 3385 Location: New York City Schools: Wharton'11 HBS'12 Followers: 14 Kudos [?]: 208 [0], given: 2 [#permalink] 08 Sep 2005, 08:00 your mistake is assuming initial asking price=final selling price... its like when you goto a second hand car dealer, he asks your$xyz for the car, you offer $yxw.... Natalya Khimich wrote: I think that 2) is sufficient also. We know the price = 1953 Price - cost = profit =>1953-cost = profit. From the stem =>Profit/cost =40% =>1953-cost/cost = 0.4 => so we can find cost. Where is my mistake? Manager Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 135 Followers: 2 Kudos [?]: 0 [0], given: 0 [#permalink] 08 Sep 2005, 09:30 But how can you set the profit of 40% of the original cost (initial asking price) equal to the profit after reducing the asking price by 10%? Wouldn't the profit change? This is the approach I took: A = asking price C = original cost .40C = A - C 403 = (A - .10A) - C Solve for C. What do you ya'll think? coffeeloverfreak wrote: If the profit made at the eventual selling price was$403, from the question stem we know that, if X is the original cost, (403+X)(1.1)-X =0.4X. So we can solve for X easily, and statement 1 is sufficient.

Statement 2 only tells us the selling price. But we don't know what the original asking price was, so we have no way of determining the original cost. Insufficient.

Senior Manager
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Good point.

Plus, I messed up anyway by multiplying by 1.1 instead of dividing by 0.9.

Should be:

X = original cost
403+X = selling price = 0.9(asking price)

And since price = cost + profit:
(403+X)/0.9 = X + 0.4X

Solve for X. It's a simple one-variable equation. Works out to original cost of \$1,550 if you want to take it that far.

Answer still A. Sorry for the mixup.
Senior Manager
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I believe it is a clear D
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Fear Mediocrity, Respect Ignorance

Manager
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i too believe its D
whats the QA

thks
Manager
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I'm stuck between A and D. My initial thought was D, but looking at the wording it makes me want to say A.

(1)

(asking price) = (original cost) + .4*(original cost) = 1.4*(original cost)

.9*(asking price) = (original cost) + 403

.9*(1.4*OC) = (OC) + 403...you can solve the eq'n for OC

(2) if the price at which the bracelet is sold is equal to the asking price, then it's simply

1953 / 1.4 = original cost

OA and source of the question? It seems like a couple of the math questions I've encountered on this forum are not as explicit as people would like and I'm interested to know if the source of the questions were the OG...
Director
Joined: 21 Aug 2005
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I think the answer is D

The question says the dealer offered to sell it at 40% profit. After working on A, we know it is sufficient. Now, the most important thing is to take A out of the mind. Consider B.
Q says he offered to sell at 40% profit. B says he sold it! Nothing happened in between (definitey not something like A). So it implies that he sold it 1.4*(actual price) = 1953.
Manager
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I go for A, because

I think I read a similar question to this one... and the word "initially" is a crucial part as the OA said, if I recall correctly.

you cannot assume that the price in (2) is the initial asking price.

secondly, if it was not true, then (1) and (2) would give different answers... donno however if this is a premise of every DS question...
Director
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MsStephanie wrote:
I'm stuck between A and D. My initial thought was D, but looking at the wording it makes me want to say A.

OA and source of the question? It seems like a couple of the math questions I've encountered on this forum are not as explicit as people would like and I'm interested to know if the source of the questions were the OG...

Thankfully Im not the only one to be torn between A and D! Though I selected D and was quite shocked when it said the answer was A.
Im not sure of the original source. But I did this problem in an online Math test.
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Cheers, Rahul.

Manager
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It is a clear A for me.

With (2) alone we do not know wether the price was reduced from the original price asked by the dealer.
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