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Sub 505 (Easy)|   Fractions and Ratios|   Word Problems|                     
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Bunuel
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Bunuel
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This equation appears really often on the gmat, though with different forms.

Quick tip: remember that the balance is 1/20 when you add up 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 + 1/X = 100%
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Bunuel


If 1/2 of the money in a certain trust fund was invested in stocks, 1/4 in bonds, 1/5 in a mutual fund, and the remaining $10,000 in a government certificate, what was the total amount of the trust fund?

(A) S 100,000
(B) S 150,000
(C) S 200,000
(D) S 500,000
(E) $2,000,000

Let the total amount be 20

Trust Fund = 10
Bonds = 5
Mutual Fund = 4

Amount left = 1 ~ $ 10,000

So, Total amount was 20*10000 = $2,00,000

Hence, answer will be (C) $2,00,000
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Bunuel


If 1/2 of the money in a certain trust fund was invested in stocks, 1/4 in bonds, 1/5 in a mutual fund, and the remaining $10,000 in a government certificate, what was the total amount of the trust fund?

(A) S 100,000
(B) S 150,000
(C) S 200,000
(D) S 500,000
(E) $2,000,000

If we let T = the total amount of the trust fund, we can create the following equation:

(1/2)T + (1/4)T + (1/5)T + 10,000 = T

Multiplying the entire question by 20 gives us:

10T + 5T + 4T + 200,000 = 20T

19T + 200,000 = 20T

200,000 = T

Answer: C
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Let total amount of money in a trust fund be $x.
Amount invested in stocks=1/2=50%
Amount invested in bonds=1/4=25%
Amount invested in mutual fund=1/5=20%
Add all=50%+25%+20%=95%, Left=5%
5% of x=10000, x=200000

Answer(C)
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I did it a slightly different way, I used decimals (which I usually wouldn't do since working with fractions is easier.)

1/4 = .25
1/5 = .20
1/2 = .50

0.20 + 0.25 + 0.50 = 0.95
What does 0.95 mean? Well, if $10,000 is the remainder than it is the 5%.

I converted back to fraction form and simplified (getting rid of the zeros)

10 = 1/20x
20*10 = 200

Add back the 0's
$200,000
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­Classic word problem:

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Whenever a problem says:

"The remaining amount is $X"

Add the given fractions.
Subtract from 1 to find the remaining fraction.
Divide (or scale up) to find the whole.

Here,

Remaining fraction = 1/20


Remaining amount = $10,000

So,

Whole=
1/20
10,000


=10,000×20=
$200,000


.
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