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# John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a

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SVP
Joined: 04 May 2006
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Schools: CBS, Kellogg
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John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a [#permalink]

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25 Feb 2008, 01:33
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45% (medium)

Question Stats:

65% (02:23) correct 35% (01:46) wrong based on 166 sessions

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John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a certain job together. John worked on the job for 10 hours and Mary worked 2 hours less than John. If Mary gave John y dollars of her payment so that they would have received the same hourly wage, what was the dollar amount, in terms of y, that John was paid in advance?

(A) 4y
(B) 5y
(C) 6y
(D) 8y
(E) 9y

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: john-and-mary-were-each-paid-x-dollars-in-advance-to-do-a-144782.html
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

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Last edited by Bunuel on 15 Jun 2013, 23:20, edited 16 times in total.
Moved to PS forum.
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Re: 220. each and total dollars? [#permalink]

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25 Feb 2008, 01:46
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Is it 9y?

10/x+y =8/x-y => x =9y

regards,
Pras
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Persistence+Patience+Persistence+Patience=G...O...A...L

SVP
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1926
Schools: CBS, Kellogg
Followers: 22

Kudos [?]: 1009 [0], given: 1

Re: 220. each and total dollars? [#permalink]

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25 Feb 2008, 18:52
prasannar wrote:
Is it 9y?

10/x+y =8/x-y => x =9y

regards,
Pras

A million thanks to you, after reading your approach, I realized that I missed the important point: John and Mary were each paid x dollars
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Re: 220. each and total dollars? [#permalink]

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27 Feb 2008, 16:16
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sondenso wrote:
prasannar wrote:
Is it 9y?

10/x+y =8/x-y => x =9y

regards,
Pras

A million thanks to you, after reading your approach, I realized that I missed the important point: John and Mary were each paid x dollars

I don't agree.
Hourly wages were x/10 and x/8.
So
x/10 + y = x/8 - y
2y = x/8 - x/10 = x/20
40y = x
he was paid 40y/10 + y = 5y

B
SVP
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1926
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Re: 220. each and total dollars? [#permalink]

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27 Feb 2008, 20:43
sondenso wrote:
prasannar wrote:
Is it 9y?

10/x+y =8/x-y => x =9y

regards,
Pras

A million thanks to you, after reading your approach, I realized that I missed the important point: John and Mary were each paid x dollars

I don't agree.
Hourly wages were x/10 and x/8.
So
x/10 + y = x/8 - y
2y = x/8 - x/10 = x/20
40y = x
he was paid 40y/10 + y = 5y

B

You made the same mistake as I did.
Let take a look again! cheer!
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Joined: 07 Feb 2013
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GMAT 2: 730 Q49 V41
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Re: John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a [#permalink]

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15 Jun 2013, 19:52
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Although the answer was derived from the above methods, pls take note
hourly wage = X/10 and X/8 respectively not 10/X or 8/X

New hourly wages after Mary gives John Y is : (X+Y)/10 and (X-Y)/8 and not 10/(X+Y) & 8/(X-Y)
while it may not make any difference to the result, its better to correct the basics
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Re: John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a [#permalink]

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15 Jun 2013, 23:21
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John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a certain job together. John worked on the job for 10 hours and Mary worked 2 hours less than John. If Mary gave John y dollars of her payment so that they would have received the same hourly wage, what was the dollar amount, in terms of y, that John was paid in advance?

(A) 4y
(B) 5y
(C) 6y
(D) 8y
(E) 9y

The amount Mary has in the end is x-y dollars and she worked for 8 hours;
The amount John has in the end is x+y dollars and he worked for 10 hours;;

We are told that in this case their hourly wage was the same: $$hourly \ wage=\frac{wage}{# \ of \ hours \ worked}=\frac{x-y}{8}=\frac{x+y}{10}$$, from $$\frac{x-y}{8}=\frac{x+y}{10}$$ we get that $$x=9y$$.

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: john-and-mary-were-each-paid-x-dollars-in-advance-to-do-a-144782.html
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Re: John and Mary were each paid x dollars in advance to do a   [#permalink] 15 Jun 2013, 23:21
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