How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed

Oldest

Best Reply

Author

Message

TAGS:

Senior Manager

Joined: 15 Jun 2010

Posts: 361

Schools: IE'14, ISB'14, Kellogg'15

WE 1: 7 Yrs in Automobile (Commercial Vehicle industry)

Followers: 4

Kudos [?]: 81 [0], given: 50

How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

07 Aug 2012, 13:26

00:00

Question Stats:

64% (02:33) correct

35% (01:50) wrong

based on 1 sessions

How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed with 40 lbs of salt that costs 35 cents/lb so that a merchant will get 20% profit by selling the mixture at 48 cents/lb?

A) 20
B) 15
C) 40
D) 50
E) 25

Source: 4gmat

[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

_________________

Regards
SD
-----------------------------
Press Kudos if you like my post.
Debrief 610-540-580-710(Long Journey): from-600-540-580-710-finally-achieved-in-4th-attempt-142456.html

Kaplan GMAT Prep Discount Codes

Knewton GMAT Discount Codes

GMAT Pill GMAT Discount Codes

Intern

Joined: 19 Apr 2012

Posts: 25

Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 1 [0], given: 8

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

07 Aug 2012, 14:23

I would do it this way:

1,2(50x + 40*35 / x+40) = 48

Solve for x = 20, so it's A. The path is quite long, maybe somehone has some shortcuts.

Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Posts: 3111

Location: Pune, India

Followers: 571

Kudos [?]: 2010 [3] , given: 92

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

07 Aug 2012, 21:59

This post received
KUDOS

SOURH7WK wrote:

Selling price is 48 cents/lb
For a 20% profit, cost price should be 40 cents/lb (CP*6/5 = 48)

Basically, you need to mix 35 cents/lb (Salt 1) with 50 cents/lb (Salt 2) to get a mixture costing 40 cents/lb (Salt Avg)

weight of Salt1/weight of Salt2 = (Salt2 - SaltAvg)/(SaltAvg - Salt1) = (50 - 40)/(40 - 35) = 2/1
We know that weight of salt 1 is 40 lbs. Weight of salt 2 must be 20 lbs.

Answer (A)

Check these posts for details of this method:
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/03 ... -averages/
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/04 ... -mixtures/
_________________

Karishma
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor
My Blog

Save 10% on Veritas Prep GMAT Courses And Admissions Consulting
Enroll now. Pay later. Take advantage of Veritas Prep's flexible payment plan options.

Veritas Prep Reviews

Intern

Joined: 27 Jul 2012

Posts: 9

Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 5 [0], given: 1

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

08 Aug 2012, 04:26

First From: x*1.2=48
Thus for 20% profit the cost should be 40c/lb.

Now fastest way is to use alligation.
salt A Salt B
35 50
40
10 5

expalanation: 40-35=5 and 50-40=10
10:5 is the ratio in which A and B are mixed
ie 2:1

if A is 40lbs then B is 20lbs
Alligation is the fastest way for these kind of questions

Intern

Joined: 05 Aug 2012

Posts: 8

Location: United States (CO)

Concentration: Accounting, Finance

GPA: 2.62

WE: Research (Investment Banking)

Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 6 [0], given: 4

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

08 Aug 2012, 14:14

I agree to find the price where 20% profit = 48 cents a bag, which is 1.2x=.48, so the cost you are looking for is .4 or 40 cents.

Now just set average cost of materials = .4

Where x = pounds at price of 50 cents...

(.5x + .35(40))/(x+40) = .4

gets you down to .1x=2

x = 20 , choice A

Senior Manager

Joined: 23 Oct 2010

Posts: 335

Location: Azerbaijan

Followers: 6

Kudos [?]: 68 [0], given: 67

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink]

08 Aug 2012, 22:41

1.2y=48
y=40

50x+35*40=40(x+40)
x=20
_________________

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true

Re: How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed [#permalink] 08 Aug 2012, 22:41

	Similar topics	Author	Replies	Last post
Similar Topics:	How many gallons of water must be mixed with 1 gallon of a	Yurik79	5	19 Jun 2006, 10:30
	How many liters of a solution that is 15% salt must be added	axl169	12	09 Oct 2006, 17:55
	How many liters of a solution that 15% salt must be added to	ggarr	1	13 Mar 2007, 19:49
	How many gallons of water must be mixed with 1 gallon of a	jsphcal	5	23 Mar 2012, 17:04
	How many ounces of a 60% salt solution must be added to 50	anon1	3	17 Dec 2012, 00:03

How many pounds of salt at 50 cents/lb must be mixed

Main navigation

GMAT Resources

Partners

MBA Resources

GMAT ® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council ® (GMAC ®). GMAT Club's website has not been reviewed or endorsed by GMAC.