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

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Math Expert
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If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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22 Jan 2014, 02:25
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81% (00:58) correct 19% (01:12) wrong based on 597 sessions

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The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

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) $$\frac{3x + 2y}{5}$$

(B) $$\frac{3x + 2y}{x + y}$$

(C) $$\frac{3x + 2y}{xy}$$

(D) $$5(3x + 2y)$$

(E) $$3x + 2y$$

Problem Solving
Question: 54
Category: Algebra Applied problems; Simplifying algebraic expressions
Page: 68
Difficulty: 600

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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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22 Jan 2014, 02:25
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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.

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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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22 Jan 2014, 06:54
2
By number picking strategy, my answer is A
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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22 Jan 2014, 09:19
1
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
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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22 Jan 2014, 21:34
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).
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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23 Jan 2014, 07:01
1
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

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- Stne
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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23 Jan 2014, 14:20
stne wrote:
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

Isn't this also a weighted average problem?
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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23 Jan 2014, 21:07
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yagobert wrote:
stne wrote:
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

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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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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04 Mar 2015, 17:57
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 _________________ 760+: Learn What GMAT Assassins Do to Score at the Highest Levels Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com # Rich Cohen Co-Founder & GMAT Assassin Special Offer: Save$75 + GMAT Club Tests Free
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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11 Feb 2017, 14:07
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)
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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17 Aug 2017, 03:51
Bunuel If we divide the total cost by x+y, what does that gives us?
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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17 Aug 2017, 04:03
Shiv2016 wrote:
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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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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17 Aug 2017, 05:25
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
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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21 Aug 2017, 16:45
Bunuel wrote:
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

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

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

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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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10 Sep 2017, 20:07
Bunuel wrote:
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

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

Problem Solving
Question: 54
Category: Algebra Applied problems; Simplifying algebraic expressions
Page: 68
Difficulty: 600

GMAT Club is introducing a new project: The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition - Quantitative Questions Project

Each week we'll be posting several questions from The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition and then after couple of days we'll provide Official Answer (OA) to them along with a slution.

We'll be glad if you participate in development of this project:
2. Please vote for the best solutions by pressing Kudos button;
3. Please vote for the questions themselves by pressing Kudos button;
4. Please share your views on difficulty level of the questions, so that we have most precise evaluation.

Thank you!

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

Ans:A
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed  [#permalink]

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18 Feb 2019, 05:27
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Re: If 3 pounds of dried apricots that cost x dollars per pound are mixed   [#permalink] 18 Feb 2019, 05:27
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