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• ### $450 Tuition Credit & Official CAT Packs FREE November 15, 2018 November 15, 2018 10:00 PM MST 11:00 PM MST EMPOWERgmat is giving away the complete Official GMAT Exam Pack collection worth$100 with the 3 Month Pack ($299) • ### Free GMAT Strategy Webinar November 17, 2018 November 17, 2018 07:00 AM PST 09:00 AM PST Nov. 17, 7 AM PST. Aiming to score 760+? Attend this FREE session to learn how to Define your GMAT Strategy, Create your Study Plan and Master the Core Skills to excel on the GMAT. # Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  new topic post reply Question banks Downloads My Bookmarks Reviews Important topics Author Message TAGS: ### Hide Tags Intern Joined: 31 Dec 2017 Posts: 28 Concentration: Finance Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 09 Feb 2018, 17:07 1 changhiskhan wrote: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month? A. 1/2 B. 1/3 C. 1/4 D. 1/5 E. 1/6 pay per month = $$x$$ pay last year = $$12x$$ savings per month = $$\frac{1}{y}(x) = \frac{x}{y}$$ savings last year = $$\frac{12x}{y}$$ spending each month = $$x - \frac{x}{y} = \frac{(xy-x)}{y}$$ spending last year = $$\frac{12(xy-x)}{y}$$ $$\frac{12x}{y} = \frac{3[xy-x]}{y}$$ $$\frac{4x}{y} = \frac{xy-x}{y}$$ $$4x = xy-x$$ $$5x = xy$$ $$y = 5$$. Fraction = $$\frac{1}{5}$$. Intern Joined: 16 Oct 2017 Posts: 38 Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 14 Feb 2018, 18:08 EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote: Hi All, We can solve this question with some algebra, but you have to be detailed with how you assign variables. If... X = the amount of money Alice EARNED per month Y = the amount of money Alice SAVED per month Y/X = the FRACTION of her paycheck she saved per month then... 12Y = the amount of money Alice saved in ONE YEAR Since the TOTAL amount saved = 3 times (what she DIDN'T save), we have this... 12Y = 3(X - Y) Now, we can simplify: 12Y = 3X - 3Y 15Y = 3X 5Y = X Y/X = 1/5 Final Answer: GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Hi Rich, Can this be solved using smart numbers? For example, by using$120 for take-home pay to represent 12 months?
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Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  [#permalink]

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14 Feb 2018, 20:09
Hi OCDianaOC,

Yes, you could solve this question by TESTing VALUES. To use that approach efficiently though, you wouldn't start with Alice's take-home pay each month - you'd actually have to start with the information in the second sentence:

"The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save."

By TESTing VALUES that fit this information, you can then 'work backwards' and determine her take-home pay each month (and then answer the question).

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

Co-Founder & GMAT Assassin

Total take-home pay is $1,200/year. My answer: I got 10/100 then reduced to 1/10. Wrong answer! Help! EMPOWERgmat Instructor Status: GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat Joined: 19 Dec 2014 Posts: 12856 Location: United States (CA) GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49 GRE 1: Q170 V170 Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 Feb 2018, 11:24 1 Hi OCDianaOC, The numbers you've chosen to TEST are perfect, but you made a small math mistake: IF...$10 was saved each month and $40 was NOT saved each month, then the total for each month is$50 (not $100). Thus, the take-home pay for the year would be (12)($50) = $600. Total saved for the year = (12)($10) = $120 Total take-home pay for the year =$600
$120/$600 = 1/5

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

Co-Founder & GMAT Assassin

Special Offer: Save $75 + GMAT Club Tests Free Official GMAT Exam Packs + 70 Pt. Improvement Guarantee www.empowergmat.com/ *****Select EMPOWERgmat Courses now include ALL 6 Official GMAC CATs!***** VP Joined: 09 Mar 2016 Posts: 1063 Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2018, 03:22 Bunuel wrote: changhiskhan wrote: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month? a) 1/2 b) 1/3 c) 1/4 d) 1/5 e) 1/6 Thanks, Let Alice's monthly take-home pay be $$p$$ and her monthly savings be $$s$$. Total savings will be $$12s$$ and we know that this is 3 times the amount she spends in month which is: $$p-s$$. So we have: $$12s=3(p-s)$$ --> $$s=p\frac{1}{5}$$ Answer: D. Hello Bunuel - founder of numerology hope you are well my solution is quite unusual but is super duper quck As per this sentence " Alice had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save' So total amount she saved was 60 and total amount she didnt save was 20 So now question is "what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?" so i divide 60 by 12 (number of months ) 60/12 = 5 hence $$\frac{1}{5}$$ she saved each month. YAY is my correct approach ? thanks and have a good week in case Bunuel doesn't reply I will tag you friends too generis niks18 Senior SC Moderator Joined: 22 May 2016 Posts: 2093 Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2018, 08:16 1 dave13 wrote: changhiskhan wrote: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month? a) 1/2 b) 1/3 c) 1/4 d) 1/5 e) 1/6 Hello Bunuel - founder of numerology hope you are well my solution is quite unusual but is super duper quck As per this sentence " Alice had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save' So total amount she saved was 60 and total amount she didnt save was 20 So now question is "what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?" so i divide 60 by 12 (number of months ) 60/12 = 5 hence $$\frac{1}{5}$$ she saved each month. YAY is my correct approach ? thanks and have a good week in case Bunuel doesn't reply I will tag you friends too generis niks18 Hi dave13 , whether your approach is correct depends on whether you did some mental math and did not write down the steps. How did you calculate $$\frac{1}{5}$$? How did you go from 5 to $$\frac{1}{5}$$? (You have everything in place. You picked good numbers. How and whether you manipulated those numbers, I cannot discern.) Manager Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Posts: 113 Location: United States Concentration: Strategy, Leadership GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V39 GPA: 3.3 WE: Consulting (Consulting) Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2018, 10:28 1 Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month? A. 1/2 B. 1/3 C. 1/4 D. 1/5 E. 1/6 Notice that the 60 is a good number to change fractions to whole numbers; hence, each choice becomes: A. 30 B. 20 C. 15 D. 12 E. 10 Simply plug and play: if her take home savings were$30, then she did not save $30. 12(30) = 360. Divide this by amount not saved ($30); hence, 12. We need this to be 3x, not 12x. Plugging in rest of numbers shows that D (12) fits.

12 (amount saved) * 12 (months in a year) = 144 (amount saved in year)
48 (amount not saved) * 3 (per stem) = 144. Both match; hence, D.
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Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  [#permalink]

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15 May 2018, 11:01
generis wrote:
dave13 wrote:
changhiskhan wrote:
Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?

a) 1/2
b) 1/3
c) 1/4
d) 1/5
e) 1/6

Hello Bunuel - founder of numerology hope you are well

my solution is quite unusual but is super duper quck

As per this sentence " Alice had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save'

So total amount she saved was 60 and total amount she didnt save was 20

So now question is "what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?"

so i divide 60 by 12 (number of months ) 60/12 = 5

hence $$\frac{1}{5}$$ she saved each month. YAY

is my correct approach ?

thanks and have a good week

in case Bunuel doesn't reply I will tag you friends too generis niks18

Hi dave13 , whether your approach is correct depends on whether
you did some mental math and did not write down the steps.

How did you calculate $$\frac{1}{5}$$?
How did you go from 5 to $$\frac{1}{5}$$?
(You have everything in place. You picked good numbers.
How and whether you manipulated those numbers, I cannot discern.)

Greetings generis

i simply took number 60 because it is easy to work with (it can be divided by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 12) very practical number

so since her total amount saved for the whole year is 60 and we need to know how much she saved monthly i divided 60 by 12 = 5

i added 1 in numeror to match it to answer choice i decorated my answer by adding a personal touch

optionally $$\frac{12}{60}$$= $$\frac{1}{5}$$

have a lovely jovely day
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Joined: 22 May 2016
Posts: 2093
Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  [#permalink]

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15 May 2018, 12:04
1
1
1
changhiskhan wrote:
Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and she saved the same fraction of her take-home pay each month. The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save. If all the money that she saved last year was from her take-home pay, what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?

a) 1/2
b) 1/3
c) 1/4
d) 1/5
e) 1/6

dave13 wrote:
generis wrote:
dave13 wrote:
Hello Bunuel - founder of numerology hope you are well

my solution is quite unusual but is super duper quck

As per this sentence " Alice had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save'

So total amount she saved was 60 and total amount she didnt save was 20

So now question is "what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month?"

so i divide 60 by 12 (number of months ) 60/12 = 5

hence $$\frac{1}{5}$$ she saved each month. YAY

is my correct approach ?

thanks and have a good week

in case Bunuel doesn't reply I will tag you friends too generis niks18

Hi dave13 , whether your approach is correct depends on whether
you did some mental math and did not write down the steps.

How did you calculate $$\frac{1}{5}$$?
How did you go from 5 to $$\frac{1}{5}$$?
(You have everything in place. You picked good numbers.
How and whether you manipulated those numbers, I cannot discern.)

Greetings generis

i simply took number 60 because it is easy to work with (it can be divided by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 12) very practical number

so since her total amount saved for the whole year is 60 and we need to know how much she saved monthly i divided 60 by 12 = 5

i added 1 in numeror to match it to answer choice i decorated my answer by adding a personal touch

optionally $$\frac{12}{60}$$= $$\frac{1}{5}$$

have a lovely jovely day

Your personal touch? OMG. What, did you try some numerology, too?
I am SO hoping (and so NOT hoping) he sees that one.

You are ABSOLUTELY correct about the number 60 (and 120, BTW).

Now, let's finish this . . .You wrote:
Quote:
we need to know how much she saved monthly i divided 60 by 12 = 5

True. Good instincts.
We also need to know how much she EARNED monthly
Quote:
So total amount she saved was 60 andtotal [MONTHLY] amount she didnt save was 20

Saved $60 in one YEAR$60 is three times $20, which is the amount she did NOT save EACH MONTH Per month SAVED? Per month NOT SAVED? This step is correct:$$$\frac{60}{12}$$ = $5 per month SAVED QUESTION asks Quote: what fraction of her take-home pay did she save each month? 1) Find take home pay per month = (Dollars saved each month) + (Dollars NOT saved each month) Take home pay per month (with the awesome numbers you picked) is:$5 (saved) + $20 (not saved) =$25 per month

2) Now, what fraction of that monthly pay did she save?

• saved each month: $5 • earned each month:$25

$$\frac{SavedAmt}{MonthlyAmt}=\frac{Part}{Whole}=\frac{5}{25}=\frac{1}{5}$$

You were very close! It is a good thing to look for simple shortcuts.

Just make sure you read the question really carefully.
(This question's language is not easy. I would bet that if you had read carefully,
you would have found the answer.)

You chose good numbers. Does this make sense? Thanks for making me laugh.
Intern
Joined: 17 Oct 2016
Posts: 1
Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  [#permalink]

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10 Jun 2018, 15:07
1
I tried to solve this testing the answers:

I assumed her take home was \$100

Testing 1/5th
Saving/month is 20; Saving/year is 240 (20*12)
Money not saved/Month is 80
80 is 1/3rd of 240
Intern
Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 11
Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and  [#permalink]

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16 Sep 2018, 10:12
In this problem we know that every payment across the year is the same, lets call those payments P.
Given this we know that we received at the end of the year 12P (p+p+p+p+p+....) 12 payments

Then we have 12P.

Ok, we also know that we save the same amount of money each month, lets call this S.
Given this we know that we save at the end of the year 12S (s+s+s+s+s+....) 12 "savings"

Then we have 12S.

Also the problem tell us that "The total amount of money that she had saved at the end of the year was 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save"

Before this we know that if she receives P every month, and she saves S, then the portion that she didn't saved was P-S.
So, lets translate this:

The total amount of money that she had saved the end of the year (12S) was (=) 3 times the amount of that portion of her monthly take-home pay that she did NOT save (3*(P-S))

Translation:

---> 12S=3(P-S)
so...
---> 4S = P-S
---> 5S = P
---> S/P = 1/5 (Answer)

S/P is the fraction of her monthly payment that she saved
Re: Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and &nbs [#permalink] 16 Sep 2018, 10:12

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# Alice’s take-home pay last year was the same each month, and

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