Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 18:33 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 18:33
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
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,733
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,733
Kudos: 36,466
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 4,847
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 226
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,847
Kudos: 9,184
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
kadamhari825
Joined: 21 Mar 2019
Last visit: 16 Jan 2022
Posts: 61
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,049
Location: India
GMAT 1: 640 Q45 V35
GMAT 2: 660 Q47 V34
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 11,229
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,229
Kudos: 45,020
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kadamhari825
Hello experts Bunuel, chetan2u, jeffrey Miller

I have a query.

Normally we add the value when we are said " increased by something" so in this example why we did not increase the fine as 0.1+0.30=0.4 for successive days.

thanks in adavnce.


You are correct and here too increase by means 0.1 +0.3 or 0.4, but doubled gives 0.1*2 or 0.2.
As we are looking for least amount, we take 0.2 and continue the same for next days too.
User avatar
EMPOWERgmatRichC
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Last visit: 31 Dec 2023
Posts: 21,777
Own Kudos:
13,051
 [1]
Given Kudos: 450
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Posts: 21,777
Kudos: 13,051
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kadamhari825
Hello experts Bunuel, chetan2u, jeffrey Miller

I have a query.

Normally we add the value when we are said " increased by something" so in this example why we did not increase the fine as 0.1+0.30=0.4 for successive days.

thanks in adavnce.

Hi kadamhari825,

The prompt tells us that one of two possible actions occurs each day:

"for each additional day....., the total fine is EITHER increased by 30 cents OR doubled, whichever results in the LESSER AMOUNT." This means that on certain days, we will ADD to the total and on other days, we will MULTIPLY the total by 2.... whichever results in the smaller total.

Since we're asked to calculate a book that is 4 days overdue, we just have to consider each possible outcome on each day, then choose the one that leads to the "lesser amount"

Day 1: 10 cents

Day 2: 10 + 30 = 40 cents; 10(2) = 20 cents
20 cents is LOWER, so the fine is NOW 20 cents

Day 3: 20 + 30 = 50 cents; 20(2) = 40 cents
40 cents is LOWER, so the fine is NOW 40 cents

Day 4: 40 + 30 = 70 cents; 40(2) = 80 cents
70 cents is LOWER, so the final fine is 70 cents.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 4,847
Own Kudos:
9,184
 [1]
Given Kudos: 226
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,847
Kudos: 9,184
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The catch here is that the fines are cumulative.

Fine on the first day is $0.1

Fine on the second day is 0.1*2 = $0.2 (as doubling gives us a lower value in comparison to fine increased by $0.30)

Similarly, fine on third day is 0.2*2 = $0.4 (as doubling gives us a lower value)

On the fourth day fine is 0.4 + 0.3 = $0.7 (as doubling gives higher value and thus we add $0.3)

Thus the fine overdue on fourth day is $0.4.
(option b)

D.S
GMAT SME
User avatar
GmatKnightTutor
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 31 Jan 2020
Last visit: 01 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,203
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 18
Posts: 5,203
Kudos: 1,576
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Total day one: 0.1

Total day two: [0.1] + 0.1

Total day three: [0.1 + 0.1] + 0.2

Total day four: [0.1 + 0.1 + 0.2] + 0.3 = 0.7
User avatar
DanTheGMATMan
Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 380
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 9
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 380
Kudos: 267
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Use a decision tree if you wanna be 100 percent sure:

­
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,986
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,986
Kudos: 1,118
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
   1   2 
Moderators:
Math Expert
109830 posts
Tuck School Moderator
852 posts