Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 15:37 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 15:37
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,390
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,390
Kudos: 778,367
 [45]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
43
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,390
Own Kudos:
778,367
 [8]
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,390
Kudos: 778,367
 [8]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
avatar
ankitarath
Joined: 10 May 2012
Last visit: 03 Apr 2014
Posts: 2
Own Kudos:
4
 [2]
Posts: 2
Kudos: 4
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
kinjiGC
Joined: 03 Feb 2013
Last visit: 12 Oct 2025
Posts: 791
Own Kudos:
2,717
 [3]
Given Kudos: 567
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Strategy
GMAT 1: 760 Q49 V44
GPA: 3.88
WE:Engineering (Computer Software)
Products:
GMAT 1: 760 Q49 V44
Posts: 791
Kudos: 2,717
 [3]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

Last year, if Elena spent a total of $720 on newspapers, magazines, and books, what amount did she spend on newspapers?

(1) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on magazines was 80 percent of the amount that she spent on books.
(2) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on newspapers was 60 percent of the total amount that she spent on magazines and books.


Statement 1) magazine = .8 of books. As newspaper expenditure is not provided. Hence Not sufficient.

Statement 2) Lets assume magazine expenditure = m, newspaper expenditure = n and book expenditure = b
then n = 0.6(m+b)
we know that m+n+b = $720
=> 1.6 (m+b) = $720
We can find out the value of (m+b) and from there we can find the value of n as well.
hence Option B)
User avatar
mrdlee23
Joined: 29 Jan 2017
Last visit: 02 Dec 2018
Posts: 31
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 13
Posts: 31
Kudos: 41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
In regards to st2, is it the same as saying N = 60 % of 720 and M+B = 40% of 720?
We can't figure out exact values for M and B, but we can for M+B

Just so I have a better understanding for these types of questions

Thanks

kinjiGC
Bunuel
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

Last year, if Elena spent a total of $720 on newspapers, magazines, and books, what amount did she spend on newspapers?

(1) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on magazines was 80 percent of the amount that she spent on books.
(2) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on newspapers was 60 percent of the total amount that she spent on magazines and books.


Statement 1) magazine = .8 of books. As newspaper expenditure is not provided. Hence Not sufficient.

Statement 2) Lets assume magazine expenditure = m, newspaper expenditure = n and book expenditure = b
then n = 0.6(m+b)
we know that m+n+b = $720
=> 1.6 (m+b) = $720
We can find out the value of (m+b) and from there we can find the value of n as well.
hence Option B)
User avatar
ueh55406
Joined: 19 Dec 2020
Last visit: 31 Aug 2021
Posts: 149
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 316
Posts: 149
Kudos: 48
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

Last year, if Elena spent a total of $720 on newspapers, magazines, and books, what amount did she spend on newspapers?

(1) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on magazines was 80 percent of the amount that she spent on books.
(2) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on newspapers was 60 percent of the total amount that she spent on magazines and books.

given n$+m$+b$=720$ (amount spent on newspaper, magazines, books)

(1) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on magazines was 80 percent of the amount that she spent on books.

\(m= 0.80*(b)\)

\(n+0.80*b+b=720\)----> \(n+1.80b=720\) ------>\( n= 720-1.80b\) (we don't know b, so this is clearly insuff.)


(2) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on newspapers was 60 percent of the total amount that she spent on magazines and books.

\(n=0.60 (m+b)\) ---> \(0.60m+0.60b\) -----> \(n+m+b= 720\) ----- > \(0.60m+0.60b +m +b = 720\) ----> \(1.60m+1.60b = 720 \)-----> \(1.60(m+b)= 720 \)----> \(m+b= 720/1.60 \)

we got \(m + b\), now plug that value in the stem equation, \(n+m+b=720\) to get the value of n$

2 is sufficient. B is the answer.
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,844
Own Kudos:
8,945
 [1]
Given Kudos: 225
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,844
Kudos: 8,945
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let the amount spent by Elena on newspapers be $n, on magazines be $m and on books be $b. From the question data, n + m + b = 720.
The value of n to be found.

From statement I alone, m = \(\frac{4}{5}\) * b. No information about n.

Statement I alone is insufficient to find the value of n. Answer options A and D can be eliminated. Possible answer options are B, C or E.

From statement II alone, n = \(\frac{3}{5}\) (m +b). We can rewrite this as \(\frac{n }{ (m+b)}\) = \(\frac{3}{5}\).

This means, n and (m+b) are in the ratio of 3:5, so n = 3k and (m+b) = 5k.

From question data, n + m + b = 720. Substituting the values of n and (m+b), we have,
3k + 5k = 720 i.e. k = 90. Therefore, n = 3k = 270.
Statement II alone is sufficient to find the value of n. Answer options C and E can be eliminated.

The correct answer option is B.

Hope that helps!
Aravind B T
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 21,716
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 300
Status:Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Location: United States (CA)
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 21,716
Kudos: 26,996
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

Last year, if Elena spent a total of $720 on newspapers, magazines, and books, what amount did she spend on newspapers?

(1) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on magazines was 80 percent of the amount that she spent on books.
(2) Last year, the amount that Elena spent on newspapers was 60 percent of the total amount that she spent on magazines and books.

Solution:

Question Stem Analysis:

We need to determine the amount of money Elena spent on newspapers given that she spent a total of $720 on newspapers, magazines, and books. We can let n, m, and b be the amounts (in dollars) she spent on newspapers, magazines, and books, respectively. Therefore, we need to determine the value of n, given that n + m + b = 720.

Statement One Alone:

We are given that m = 0.8b. Substituting this in the equation in the stem analysis, we have:

n + 0.8b + b = 720

n + 1.8b = 720

We can’t determine the value of n since we don’t know the value of b. Statement one alone is not sufficient.

Statement Two Alone:

We are given that n = 0.6(m + b). Substituting this in the equation in the stem analysis, we have:

0.6(m + b) + m + b = 720

1.6(m + b) = 720

m + b = 450

Since n = 0.6(m + b), n = 0.6(450) = 270. Statement two alone is sufficient.

Answer: B
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,589
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,589
Kudos: 1,079
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
Math Expert
105390 posts
496 posts