Last visit was: 18 Nov 2025, 22:21 It is currently 18 Nov 2025, 22:21
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
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.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
User avatar
carcass
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Last visit: 17 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,754
Own Kudos:
37,013
 [44]
Given Kudos: 4,856
Posts: 4,754
Kudos: 37,013
 [44]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved Updated on: 04 Jan 2013, 03:01
Originally posted by carcass on 03 Jan 2013, 14:49.
Last edited by Bunuel on 04 Jan 2013, 03:01, edited 1 time in total.
Edited the question and moved to PS forum.
Kudos
Add Kudos
42
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

35% (medium)

Question Stats:

77% (02:05) correct 23% (02:25) wrong based on 1567 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 8 percent more than in 1989, and together he and Jane saved a total of $5,000. Approximately what percent less did Jane save in 1990 than in 1989?

A. 8%
B. 25%
C. 41%
D. 59%
E. 70%
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
C
User avatar
sambam
User avatar
Joined: 18 Oct 2011
Last visit: 09 Jan 2014
Posts: 58
Own Kudos:
416
 [3]
Location: United States
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Marketing
GMAT Date: 01-30-2013
GPA: 3.3
Posts: 58
Kudos: 416
 [3]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 03 Jan 2013, 15:17
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
1990

Dick saved = $ 3240
Jane saved = $ 1760 (jane saved $1240 less than she did the prior year)

Jane saved approximately $1240/$3000 (close to 41%) less in 1990

Answer: C
User avatar
carcass
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Last visit: 17 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,754
Own Kudos:
37,013
Given Kudos: 4,856
Posts: 4,754
Kudos: 37,013
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 03 Jan 2013, 15:41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
For you is a 600/700 level ??

what do you think about ??

thanks
User avatar
shanmugamgsn
User avatar
Joined: 04 Oct 2011
Last visit: 31 Dec 2014
Posts: 141
Own Kudos:
159
 [3]
Given Kudos: 44
Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, International Business
GMAT 1: 440 Q33 V13
GPA: 3
GMAT 1: 440 Q33 V13
Posts: 141
Kudos: 159
 [3]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 07 Jan 2013, 19:49
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
carcass
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 8 percent more than in 1989, and together he and Jane saved a total of $5,000. Approximately what percent less did Jane save in 1990 than in 1989?

A. 8%
B. 25%
C. 41%
D. 59%
E. 70%
Show more

I did in usual way.. pretty lengthy one...

Dick -> increased by 8% of 3000 = 240 , so Dick share in 1990 will be 3240.
Jane --> decreased by x% of 3000, so Jane share in 1990 will be \(3000(1- x/100 )\)

\(3240 + 3000 (1- x/100 ) = 5000\)

\(1- x/100 = 166 / 300\)

x= 41% (approx)
avatar
fozzzy
avatar
Joined: 29 Nov 2012
Last visit: 17 May 2015
Posts: 574
Own Kudos:
6,801
 [3]
Given Kudos: 543
Posts: 574
Kudos: 6,801
 [3]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 23 Jan 2013, 05:09
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
given jane 1989 - 3000
dick 1989 - 3000

1990 = D + J = 5000

dick 8 percent more = 3000 * 8/100 = 240 >> 3000 + 240 = 3240

jane = 5000-3240 = 1760

to find the decrease new - old/old * 100

1760 - 3000 / 3000 * 100

1240 / 3000 * 100 = 124/3 = 41% approx

Answer Choice C
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,739
Own Kudos:
35,331
 [4]
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,739
Kudos: 35,331
 [4]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved Updated on: 25 Mar 2021, 15:15
Originally posted by BrentGMATPrepNow on 10 Oct 2018, 10:22.
Last edited by BrentGMATPrepNow on 25 Mar 2021, 15:15, edited 1 time in total.
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
carcass
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 8 percent more than in 1989, and together he and Jane saved a total of $5,000. Approximately what percent less did Jane save in 1990 than in 1989?

A. 8%
B. 25%
C. 41%
D. 59%
E. 70%
Show more

In 1990, Dick saved 8 percent more than in 1989
So, Dick's savings in 1990 = 1.08($3000)
= $3240

In 1990, Dick and Jane saved a total of $5,000.
So, Jane's savings = $5,000 - $3240
= $1760

Approximately what percent less did Jane save in 1990 than in 1989?
In 1989, Jane saved $3000
$3000 - $1760 = $1240

ASIDE: We COULD convert $1240/$3000 to a percent, but that's no fun!
A faster approach is to use the answer choices to our advantage (ALWAYS check the answer choices before performing any calculations)
Notice that $1500/$3000 = 1/2 = 50%
So, $1240/$3000 must be a little less than 50%

Check the answer choices . . . . only C works

Answer: C

RELATED VIDEO
User avatar
jaysonbeatty12
User avatar
Joined: 14 Aug 2018
Last visit: 14 Dec 2023
Posts: 18
Own Kudos:
62
 [5]
Given Kudos: 3
Location: United States (WA)
Schools: Cambridge Judge (A)
GMAT 1: 670 Q43 V40
GMAT 2: 750 Q47 V47
GPA: 3.3
WE:Education (Education)
Schools: Cambridge Judge (A)
GMAT 2: 750 Q47 V47
Posts: 18
Kudos: 62
 [5]
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 10 Oct 2018, 10:36
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is a great example of a question where estimating can save you a ton of time. The answer choices are pretty spread out, so you don't need to be accurate with your calculations. Accuracy takes time and time is your precious resource on the GMAT.

First, estimate the amount Dick saved in 1990. No need to calculate an 8% increase - round up to a 10% increase - estimate that Dick saved $3,300. If Dick saved $3,300, Jane saved $1,700. What is the percentage decrease from $3,000 to $1,700? Use benchmarks to eliminate answers. Is the percent decrease 50% or greater? No - that would result in Jane saving $1,500. Eliminate D and E.

Is the reduction to $1,700 greater than a 25% decrease? Yes! A 25% decrease would be $2,250. Eliminate A and B

C is the only answer left standing.

Think before you Math.
User avatar
egmat
User avatar
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 02 Nov 2011
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,108
Own Kudos:
32,884
Given Kudos: 700
GMAT Date: 08-19-2020
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,108
Kudos: 32,884
Dick and Jane each saved $3,000 in 1989. In 1990 Dick saved 23 Sep 2025, 23:36
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is a great percent change problem that tests your ability to work with multiple actors and track changes across time periods. Let's break it down together.

Here's what you need to see:

Both Dick and Jane saved \($3,000\) each in 1989. In 1990, Dick saved 8% more than his 1989 amount, and together they saved \($5,000\) total in 1990. We need to find what percent less Jane saved in 1990.

Step 1: Calculate Dick's 1990 savings
Let's think about this - Dick saved 8% more than his 1989 amount:
- Dick's 1989 savings: \($3,000\)
- 8% increase means: \($3,000 \times 0.08 = $240\) extra
- So Dick's 1990 savings: \($3,000 + $240 = $3,240\)

Step 2: Find Jane's 1990 savings
Notice how we can use the total to find Jane's amount:
- Total 1990 savings = \($5,000\)
- Dick's 1990 savings = \($3,240\)
- Therefore, Jane's 1990 savings = \($5,000 - $3,240 = $1,760\)

Step 3: Calculate Jane's percentage decrease
Here's the critical insight - we compare the decrease to her original 1989 amount:
- Jane's decrease: \($3,000 - $1,760 = $1,240\)
- Percentage decrease: \(\frac{$1,240}{$3,000} \times 100\% = 41.33\%\)

Rounding to the nearest whole percent gives us approximately 41%.

Answer: C

You can check out the step-by-step solution on Neuron by e-GMAT to master the systematic approach for handling percent change problems with multiple variables. The full solution reveals common traps to avoid and shows you how this pattern applies to other GMAT questions. You can also explore other GMAT official questions with detailed solutions on Neuron for structured practice here.
Moderators:
Bunuel
Math Expert
105355 posts
Krunaal
Tuck School Moderator
805 posts