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Bunuel
Sue's monthly earnings consist of a monthly salary and a 4 percent commission on the portion of her monthly sales that is in excess of $2,000. If Sue's monthly salary was the same in July as in August, how much greater were her sales in July than in August?

(1) Sue's monthly earnings were $3,620 in July and $3,580 in August.
(2) Sue's monthly salary was $3,500 in July and in August.

Attachment:
Screenshot 2023-11-13 at 2.41.51 PM.png

KarishmaB Bunuel

I cannot wrap my head around how option A is the correct answer. The question stem neither mentions that Sue received a commission in both months nor provides any information on Sue's monthly salary. Hence, I would consider Statement 1 not sufficient.

For example, let's consider the following two cases for Statement 1

Case 1

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $3000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580 + 0.04(3000-2000) = 3580 + 40 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $1000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580

Difference in sale = 3000 - 1000 = $2000

Case 2

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $5000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(5000-2000) = 3500 + 120 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $4000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(4000 - 2000) = 3500 + 80 = $3580

Difference in sale = 5000 - 4000 = 1000

Isn't Statement 1 giving us two possible answers or how did we conclude that the sales made by Sue were greater than $2000 in both months, thereby making her eligible for commissions on both months?

What am I missing here :? Could you please help me?

Edit: I believe that the answer posted in GMAT Prep is not correct.

IMO The correct answer to this question should be Option C
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gmatophobia
Bunuel
Sue's monthly earnings consist of a monthly salary and a 4 percent commission on the portion of her monthly sales that is in excess of $2,000. If Sue's monthly salary was the same in July as in August, how much greater were her sales in July than in August?

(1) Sue's monthly earnings were $3,620 in July and $3,580 in August.
(2) Sue's monthly salary was $3,500 in July and in August.

Attachment:
Screenshot 2023-11-13 at 2.41.51 PM.png

KarishmaB Bunuel

I cannot wrap my head around how option A is the correct answer. The question stem neither mentions that Sue received a commission in both months nor provides any information on Sue's monthly salary. Hence, I would consider Statement 1 not sufficient.

For example, let's consider the following two cases for Statement 1

Case 1

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $3000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580 + 0.04(3000-2000) = 3580 + 40 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $1000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580

Difference in sale = 3000 - 1000 = $2000

Case 2

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $5000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(5000-2000) = 3500 + 120 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $4000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(4000 - 2000) = 3500 + 80 = $3580

Difference in sale = 5000 - 4000 = 1000

Isn't Statement 1 giving us two possible answers or how did we conclude that the sales made by Sue were greater than $2000 in both months, thereby making her eligible for commissions on both months?

What am I missing here :? Could you please help me?

I agree. We are not given that her Sales in both months was at least $2000. So the difference in the Sales could vary using statement 1 alone.
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As in most of data sufficiency, the most important part is the question. Here the most important part is " how much greater"
That means that we should try with the worst case that she did not exceed $2000 in sales, in that situation her salary is $3580. The difference with $3620 is $40, the smaller difference that will exist. This means that if we try with other values for her salary, the commission for sales will be always greater.

KarishmaB
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gmatophobia
Bunuel
Sue's monthly earnings consist of a monthly salary and a 4 percent commission on the portion of her monthly sales that is in excess of $2,000. If Sue's monthly salary was the same in July as in August, how much greater were her sales in July than in August?

(1) Sue's monthly earnings were $3,620 in July and $3,580 in August.
(2) Sue's monthly salary was $3,500 in July and in August.

Attachment:
Screenshot 2023-11-13 at 2.41.51 PM.png

KarishmaB Bunuel

I cannot wrap my head around how option A is the correct answer. The question stem neither mentions that Sue received a commission in both months nor provides any information on Sue's monthly salary. Hence, I would consider Statement 1 not sufficient.

For example, let's consider the following two cases for Statement 1

Case 1

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $3000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580 + 0.04(3000-2000) = 3580 + 40 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3580
    Sale: $1000
    Monthly Earnings = $3580

Difference in sale = 3000 - 1000 = $2000

Case 2

  • Month : July
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $5000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(5000-2000) = 3500 + 120 = $3620

  • Month : August
    Monthly Salary: $3500
    Sale: $4000
    Monthly Earnings = $3500 + 0.04(4000 - 2000) = 3500 + 80 = $3580

Difference in sale = 5000 - 4000 = 1000

Isn't Statement 1 giving us two possible answers or how did we conclude that the sales made by Sue were greater than $2000 in both months, thereby making her eligible for commissions on both months?

What am I missing here :? Could you please help me?

I agree. We are not given that her Sales in both months was at least $2000. So the difference in the Sales could vary using statement 1 alone.
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