If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed

SOLUTION

If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed with 2 pounds of prunes that cost y dollars per pound, what is the cost, in dollars, per pound of the mixture?

(A) (3x + 2y)/5
(B) (3x + 2y)/(x + y)
(C) (3x + 2y)/(xy)
(D) 5(3x + 2y)
(E) 3x + 2y

The cost per pound is (total cost)/(total number of pounds) = (3x + 2y)/(2 + 3) = (3x + 2y)/5.

Answer: A.
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By number picking strategy, my answer is A

Cost of 3 pds=3x
Cost of 2 pds=2y
Total=3x+2y
Per pd cost=(3x+2y)/5
Ans.A

Posted from my mobile device

Total Cost = Weight(in pounds) * Price/pound;
To find Total cost/pound, Divide by total pounds.

Cost of Dried apricots = 3x;
Cost of prunes = 2y;

Cost per pound = (3x + 2y)/5;

Ans is (A).

if x is the cost per pound of Apricots then 3 pounds cost = 3x
If y is the cost per pound of prunes then 2 pounds cost =2y

So the total cost is 3x+2y for the 5 pounds
So per pound cost will be = (3x+2y)/5

Answer A
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Isn't this also a weighted average problem?

Yes, 'cost per pound of the mixture' is the 'weighted average cost'. You are essentially using the formula Cavg = (C1*w1 + C2*w2)/(w1 + w2)
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Hi all,

This question can be solved in a variety of ways. If you catch the fact that there are only 5 total pounds of fruit, then you can avoid most of the work altogether, since the question asks for the average price per POUND of fruit.

Since none of the other explanations have TESTed VALUES, I'll show you how to use that approach here:

We have...
3 pounds of dried apricots that cost $X per pound and...
2 pounds of prunes that cost $Y per pound.

IF...
X = 3
Y = 4

Then the apricots cost 3($3) = $9
and the prunes cost 2($4) = $8

Total cost = $17 and total weight = 5 pounds, so the correct answer will be 17/5

Answer A: (9+8)/5 = 17/5 This IS a match.
Answer B: (9+8)/(3+4) = 17/7 NOT a match
Answer C: (9+8)/(3)(4) = 17/12 NOT a match
Answer D: 5(9+8) = 85 NOT a match
Answer E: 9 + 8 = 17 NOT a match

Final Answer:

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

as per question stem:
Total cost of 3 pound of Apricots - 3x
Total cost of 2 pound of Prunes - 27

Total cost of mixture = 3x+2y
Total Mixture = 5 pound

so cost of 5 pound = 3x+2y
then cost of 1 pound = ((3x+2y)/5)

Bunuel If we divide the total cost by x+y, what does that gives us?

Dividing total cost (3x + 2y) by the sum of the prices per pound (x+y) gives us nothing.
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Ans is A

3 pound Apricot with 2 pound prunes

total cost is 3x+2y
but this is for 5 pounds (3+2)

so cost per pound will be 3x+2y / 5

We can create the following weighted average equation:

(3x + 2y)/(3 + 2) = (3x + 2y)/5

Alternate Solution:

We add 3 pounds at x dollars per pound to 2 pounds at y dollars per pound to yield 5 pounds at z dollars per pound. We set up the following equation and solve for z:

3x + 2y = 5z

(3x + 2y)/5 = z

Answer: A
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Total cost for 5 pounds =3x+2y.
Cost per pound of the mixture = 3x+2y/5.

Ans:A

for such questions

(price 1 X quantity 1 + price 2 X Quantity 2 ) / quantity 1 + quantity 2

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