How many minutes does it take John to type y words if he

Question

How many minutes does it take John to type y words if he types at the rate of x words per minute?

(A) x/y
(B) y/x
(C) xy
(D) 60x/y
(E) y/(60x)

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

SOLUTION

How many minutes does it take John to type y words if he types at the rate of x words per minute?

(A) x/y
(B) y/x
(C) xy
(D) 60x/y
(E) y/(60x)

time*rate=job --> time*x=y --> time=y/x.

Answer: B.

SOURH7WK · Answer

John can type x words in 1 min.
So he can type 1 word in 1/x min
Hence he should type y words in y(1/x) mins
Answer : Choice B

Zinsch123 · Answer

If one isn't that good with variables, one can just plug in some numbers, where the answer is easy.

Like 60 words per minute and how long does it take to write 120 words. Easy to see that the solution is 120/60=2 minutes. Now going back to variables: y/x.

dexerash · Answer

x words ------------------- 1 min (1)
y words ------------------- y/x min (2)
 
one approach which I generally use to verify such kind of problem is that (2) should be same as (1) if everything is cross-multiplied.
Here in (2), right hand side denominator x is multiplied by left hand side y

y*x ------------------------ y (3)

then y is cancelled out from both sides, so what remains is (1)

x --------------------------- 1

bhavinshah5685 · Answer

Ratextime=work ===> X x t = y ==> t = y/x

Ans C

mbaiseasy · Answer

\frac{x}{min}(t)=y words 
 t=\frac{y}{x}min

PareshGmat · Answer

x words take 1 Min
1 word will take  1 * \frac{1}{x} = \frac{1}{x}  minutes

For y words, time required
=  y. \frac{1}{x} = \frac{y}{x}

Answer = B

luckyme17187 · Answer

rate of x word per minute = 1/x.

for y word .... y*(1/x)= y/x

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

This problem is testing us on our knowledge of variables in a "work" question. Ultimately, we are solving for time. Since rate x time = work, we know that time = work/rate.

We are given that John types at a rate of x words per minute; thus, his rate is:

x/1 = x

We are asked for the number of minutes it will take John to type y words. We can solve, using the formula for time.

time = work/rate

time = y/x

The answer is B.

GMAT0010 · Answer

1 word can be typed in 1/x minutes
y words in y/x minutes

hence B is correct

BrentGMATPrepNow · Answer

Time = output/rate
Time = y/x
 
Answer: B

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Work = Rate * Time

Thus he types x words in a minute and this is the rate of his work.

Work =y=time * x

=> Time = y/x

(option b)

D.S
GMAT SME

naveeng15 · Answer

assume total words=100 = y
words/min = 10 = x
total min = 100/10 = y/x

Keshav1404 · Answer

If someone is not good with variables, person can opt for plugging in the number to find the solution

Lets John types 5 words per minute for 10 minutes, then total words typed by him = 50

Therefore we can substitute the value of 'x & y' in the answer option. where y=50 , x=5, and gives the solution 10 as per above calculation.

Only option B satisfies the condition. Hence ' B ' is the answer.

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