Here's a challenge. Can anyone sovle A certain stock

Wow! this problem turns out to be easier than expected

Dan

E is indeed the right answer, and of course the formula that led to it is correct....
i'd like to add a minor comment on calculations... (i.e some may ask if GMAT really expect us to compute 26^3+26^2+26 in 1.5 minutes or so....)

in many gmat questions that seem to require lots of calculation there is usually a simple way to avoid it. it usually employs one of two methods:
a) rough estimation of result
b) calculating part of the answer, usually the digit unit, or the two last digits.

in this case, once you know the formula 26+26^2+26^3, you can find out that each of the three parts has last digit 6 (all exponents of 6 end with 6). because of that... adding three of them must end with 8 (6+6+6=18).
there is only one answer that ends with 8 and this is E. you don't have to actually calculate 26^3.

estimation in this case helps just a little:
26^3=26^2*26>650*25 = 16000, so you can safely eliminate a,b,c.
a closer estimation will also eliminate d.

my rule for real gmat questions is: never work too hard. there is always a simple way to solve questions.

Nice method, Hobbit.