Hi All,
Questions such as this one can be approached in a variety of different ways - you can TEST VALUES, do the "math" in lots of different ways, and even use some pattern-matching along with the answer choices to quickly get to the correct answer....
We're told that Ian is paid $400 for H hours of work. So we can create the following equation....
400 = (H)(P)
H = # of hours worked
P = pay/hour
We're asked what Ian's pay would be if his pay increases by 25% and his hours decrease by 25%. This info can be written as decimals or fractions....Here's how the "new" equation will look....
25% increase = 5/4
25% decrease = 3/4
(5/4)P(3/4)(H)
(5/4)(3/4)HP = (15/16)(HP)
15/16HP is a little less than 1HP (= $400), so we're looking for an answer that's a little less than $400. There's only one answer that's close...
Final Answer:
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich