Jonathan, Kyle, and Michael agreed to pay equal shares of the monthly rent on an apartment. Because Jonathan has a cat, he paid a 1-time pet deposit of $250. The pet deposit and Jonathan’s share of the monthly rent for the first month totaled $525. How much is the monthly rent on the apartment?
While this question is not very difficult to answer, it serves to highlight some key aspects of getting GMAT Quant questions correct.
One is making sure we answer the question asked: in this case, we have to find the total "monthly rent," which would not include "the pet deposit."
Another is keeping things straight: in this case, we have to keep straight that the $525 that Jonathan paid includes not just his share of the rent but also the pet deposit. So, to find his share of the rent, we have to subtract the pet deposit.
So, we have the following:
Total Rent = 3 × (What Jonathan Paid - The Pet Deposit) = 3 × (525 - 250) = 825
A. $1,575
B. $1,075
C. $1,025
D. $825
E. $775
Correct answer: D