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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 09 Mar 2017, 02:11
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
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B
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 09 Mar 2017, 02:49
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
Show more

50 tshirts with at least 14 days’ notice = 50 + 50*4 = 50 + 200 = 250

50 tshirts with at least 5 days’ notice = 50 + 50 + (9+4)*50 = 750

by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice
= ((750-250)/250)*100 = (500*100)/250 =200%

Hence option B is correct
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 09 Mar 2017, 05:00
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
Show more

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 09 Mar 2017, 23:43
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%
Show more

Hi VeritasPrepKarishma,

For a rush job, the company charges a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount)
For instance,
13 days notice would be $5 per shirt i.e. (14-13) + 4 = 1 + 4 = 5
12 days would be $6 per shirt i.e. (14-12) + 4 = 2 + 4 = 6, etc.

so for 5 days notice the price of each tshirt will be (14-5) + 4(original amount) = 9 + 4 =13
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 11 Mar 2017, 00:43
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%

Hi VeritasPrepKarishma,

For a rush job, the company charges a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount)
For instance,
13 days notice would be $5 per shirt i.e. (14-13) + 4 = 1 + 4 = 5
12 days would be $6 per shirt i.e. (14-12) + 4 = 2 + 4 = 6, etc.

so for 5 days notice the price of each tshirt will be (14-5) + 4(original amount) = 9 + 4 =13
Show more

Note that I am calculating the "EXTRA CHARGE" for the rush job. It will be in addition to the 250 calculated before (where $4 has been figured in)
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 15 Mar 2017, 16:17
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
Show more

The cost for purchasing 50 shirts with at least 14 days notice is:

50 + 4(50) = 250

For 5-day notice, which is 9 days fewer than 14-day notice, each shirt would then be charged $4 + $9 = $13. The $50 rush fee would also be added. Thus the cost for purchasing 50 shirts with 5 days’ notice is:

50 + 50 + 13(50) = 100 + 650 = 750

We can now determine the percentage change, using the formula percentage change = (new - old)/old x 100 percent:

(750 - 250)/250 x 100

500/250 x 100 = 2 x 100 = 200 percent

Answer: B
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 20 Mar 2017, 19:48
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
Show more

OFFICIAL SOLUTION



Let NC stand for New Charge and OC stand for Original Charge.
The question asks for the percent greater, which will be (NC-OC)/OC.

The OC will be "Set-Up Fee + Total Shirt Charges," or $50+($4∗50). The OC is $250.

The NC will be "New Set Up Fee + New Total Shirt Charges"

Since there is a $1 additional premium for each day less than 14 days, the per shirt charge for the rush delivery will be $4+(14−5)∗$1 or $13 per shirt.


The NC will be $100 + ($13∗50) or $750.

The NC is \(\frac{($750−250)}{$250}\) or \(\frac{$500}{$250}\) or 200% greater than the original.

Think Like the Testmaker: Read the Question Note that the NC is 300 of the original OF the original charge or answer choice E. On percentage questions, always be careful to read the final question carefully, as typically both the percentage greater/less than and percentage of will be both be answer choices.
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 14 Apr 2017, 23:23
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%
Show more

I don't understand how customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date translates into a "5 days' notice". I think it means that the order has to be completed 5 days before the standard 14 days period(hence, the word prior). Please explain, this question is easy but this translation is giving me hell.
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 15 Apr 2017, 00:50
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ShashankDave
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%

I don't understand how customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date translates into a "5 days' notice". I think it means that the order has to be completed 5 days before the standard 14 days period(hence, the word prior). Please explain, this question is easy but this translation is giving me hell.
Show more
As per the example given.. if 1 day prior translates to 13 days..
=> 4+(14-13)1 = $5 as given in example within q itself..
Following the same, for 5 days prior to 14 would have been
=> 4+(14-5)1 = $9 instead of $13 as given in solution.. Pls correcte me if I am getting wrong here..

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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 15 Apr 2017, 00:56
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Extra charges should have been...
50 (additional setup fee) + (5×1) 50 (5 days prior) = 300

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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 17 Apr 2017, 22:11
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%

I don't understand how customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date translates into a "5 days' notice". I think it means that the order has to be completed 5 days before the standard 14 days period(hence, the word prior). Please explain, this question is easy but this translation is giving me hell.
Show more

At first, I have the same problem like you. Then, I realize that if the customer wants those shirt to get finished prior to the picked-up date, then the customer will be charged for 9-day for processing. Hence, the actual number of days that is less than the standard of 14-days is 9, not 5.
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 17 Apr 2017, 22:54
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%

Charge for 50 shirts with 14 days notice = 50 + 50*4 = 250

The customer gives a 5 day notice which means he wants her order 9 days before the 14 day processing time.

Extra Charges for the rush job = 9*1*50 + 50 = 500

Percentage by which his charge increases = (500/250) * 100 = 200%

I don't understand how customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date translates into a "5 days' notice". I think it means that the order has to be completed 5 days before the standard 14 days period(hence, the word prior). Please explain, this question is easy but this translation is giving me hell.
Show more


Say, his desired pick up date for the order is 15th April.
He ordered 50 shirts 5 days prior to this date. So he ordered 50 shirts on 10th April. But according to normal processing time, the delivery date should have been 24th April (14 days after the order date). Since the order is required on 15th April, it is required 9 days prior.
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 02 Jul 2018, 10:30
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Bunuel
A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and requires 14 days processing time. For a rush job, the company charges an additional $50 rush set-up fee, plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time. (For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)

If a customer orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to his desired pickup date, by what percent is his charge greater than it would have been had he provided at least 14 days’ notice?

A. 180%
B. 200%
C. 210%
D. 280%
E. 300%
Show more

Charge for 50 shirts on 14 days notice = 50 + 4*50 = $250

5 days prior to 14 days notice = 14 -5 = 9 days

Charge for 50 shirts on 9 days notice = 50 + 50 + 50*4 + 50*1*9 = $750

Hence the % change in charge = (750 - 250)/250 = 200%

Answer B

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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 20 Jul 2026, 06:23
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I think the intended answer is clear once you assume that the surcharge is based on the number of days by which the order falls short of the standard 14-day processing time. That gives the official answer of 200%.

However, I feel the wording itself is ambiguous.

The sentence says:

"...a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time."

I initially interpreted this as:

If I provide 5 days' less notice, then I pay a surcharge of $5 per shirt (i.e., $1 for each of the 5 days less of notice).
So the shirt price becomes $4 + $5 = $9.

The official interpretation is:

The surcharge is based on the shortfall from the standard 14 days.
Therefore, 5 days' notice means 14 − 5 = 9 days short, so the surcharge is $9 per shirt, making the total $13 per shirt.

My issue is that I don't think the parenthetical example completely resolves this ambiguity:

"For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt..."

This example can also be read as referring to the final per-shirt price, not necessarily just illustrating the surcharge rule.

For example:

13 days' notice → $4 base + $1 surcharge = $5 per shirt.
12 days' notice → $4 base + $2 surcharge = $6 per shirt.

That example is consistent with both interpretations until we reach a case like 5 days' notice.

I think the wording would have been unambiguous if it had instead said something like:

"The surcharge is $1 per shirt for each day by which the notice period falls short of 14 days."

or

"Surcharge = (14 − notice days) × $1 per shirt."

Am I missing something in the grammar, or does anyone else think the original wording could reasonably be interpreted in more than one way ?
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 20 Jul 2026, 19:59
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Hi Vivek1707,

You've read the sentence carefully, and I think the parenthetical example actually does settle it. Let me show why.

The thing that resolves the ambiguity is one word that appears in every case: notice. Look at how the example is built:

- "13 days notice → $5 per shirt"
- "12 days notice → $6 per shirt"

So the number quoted (13, 12) is the number of days of notice you give - and the per-shirt price is $4 + (14 - that number). For 13: 4 + (14 - 13) = 5. For 12: 4 + (14 - 12) = 6. Perfect fit.

Now test your alternate reading against the example. Your reading treats the quoted number as the surcharge itself (5 days → $5). Apply that to the example: 13 days would give a $13 surcharge → $17 per shirt, not the $5 the problem states. So that reading contradicts the example. Only "subtract the notice from 14" survives.

Here's the exact slip: you treated the customer's 5 as the shortfall (5 days less than 14). But 5 is the notice - the same slot the 13 and 12 sit in. "Orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to pickup" = 5 days of notice. So plug 5 into the same formula: 4 + (14 - 5) = 13 per shirt.

Quick self-check with the same slot:
- 10 days notice → 4 + (14 - 10) = $8 per shirt
- 1 day notice → 4 + (14 - 1) = $17 per shirt

Always: quoted number is the notice, subtract it from 14. That's what pins the answer to 200%.

Answer: B

Vivek1707
I think the intended answer is clear once you assume that the surcharge is based on the number of days by which the order falls short of the standard 14-day processing time. That gives the official answer of 200%.

However, I feel the wording itself is ambiguous.

The sentence says:

"...a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time."

I initially interpreted this as:

If I provide 5 days' less notice, then I pay a surcharge of $5 per shirt (i.e., $1 for each of the 5 days less of notice).
So the shirt price becomes $4 + $5 = $9.

The official interpretation is:

The surcharge is based on the shortfall from the standard 14 days.
Therefore, 5 days' notice means 14 − 5 = 9 days short, so the surcharge is $9 per shirt, making the total $13 per shirt.

My issue is that I don't think the parenthetical example completely resolves this ambiguity:

"For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt..."

This example can also be read as referring to the final per-shirt price, not necessarily just illustrating the surcharge rule.

For example:

13 days' notice → $4 base + $1 surcharge = $5 per shirt.
12 days' notice → $4 base + $2 surcharge = $6 per shirt.

That example is consistent with both interpretations until we reach a case like 5 days' notice.

I think the wording would have been unambiguous if it had instead said something like:

"The surcharge is $1 per shirt for each day by which the notice period falls short of 14 days."

or

"Surcharge = (14 − notice days) × $1 per shirt."

Am I missing something in the grammar, or does anyone else think the original wording could reasonably be interpreted in more than one way ?
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A t-shirt company charges a flat $50 set-up fee plus $4 per shirt and 21 Jul 2026, 05:27
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Hi egmat

Thank you for taking the time out and responding.

I dont dispute your answer and your explanation. They are helpful. I would like to clarify what I intended.

When I the question says that

"plus a surcharge of $1 per shirt per day (in addition to the original amount) for each day less than the standard 14-day processing time"

What you are saying is that the additional surcharge is 1 extra dollar for each day of the remaining notice.

That is essentially what the formula is computing i.e 4$ + (14 - shortfall )$ i.e 4 + 9 which is 13$

Hence the total charges are 50$ regular charge + 50$ additional charge + Total variable charge which includes a base of 4$ + 9$ surcharge i.e 13 * 50 ---> which adds up to 100 + 650 which is 750

However, the example could also be interpreted this way :

"For instance, 13 days notice would be $5 per shirt, 12 days would be $6 per shirt, etc.)"

This could also imply that 13 days of notice is 1 day short, hence i.e total 5$ i.e 4$ base + 1$ surcharge for 1 day less than the standard

For 12 days of notice is 2 days short, hence 4$ + 2$ i.e total 6$ i.e 4$ base + 2$ surcharge charged only for 2 days less than the standard

If we go by this interpretation the total cost would be 50$ regular charge + 50$ additional charge + 4$ base + 5$ surcharge for (5 days less than standard) i.e 50 + 50 + 9 x 50 = 550

Again not to dispute the solution and appreciate your patience in explaining.

Just want to undertstand how to think better in these circumstances. If these are standard interpretations or if you have references to similar question request you to please share. That would be great for learning.


egmat
Hi Vivek1707,

You've read the sentence carefully, and I think the parenthetical example actually does settle it. Let me show why.

The thing that resolves the ambiguity is one word that appears in every case: notice. Look at how the example is built:

- "13 days notice → $5 per shirt"
- "12 days notice → $6 per shirt"

So the number quoted (13, 12) is the number of days of notice you give - and the per-shirt price is $4 + (14 - that number). For 13: 4 + (14 - 13) = 5. For 12: 4 + (14 - 12) = 6. Perfect fit.

Now test your alternate reading against the example. Your reading treats the quoted number as the surcharge itself (5 days → $5). Apply that to the example: 13 days would give a $13 surcharge → $17 per shirt, not the $5 the problem states. So that reading contradicts the example. Only "subtract the notice from 14" survives.

Here's the exact slip: you treated the customer's 5 as the shortfall (5 days less than 14). But 5 is the notice - the same slot the 13 and 12 sit in. "Orders 50 shirts 5 days prior to pickup" = 5 days of notice. So plug 5 into the same formula: 4 + (14 - 5) = 13 per shirt.

Quick self-check with the same slot:
- 10 days notice → 4 + (14 - 10) = $8 per shirt
- 1 day notice → 4 + (14 - 1) = $17 per shirt

Always: quoted number is the notice, subtract it from 14. That's what pins the answer to 200%.

Answer: B


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