For each of the years shown, the average cost per mile of operating a

Question

AVERAGE COSTS OF OPERATING SUBCOMPACT, COMPACT, AND MIDSIZE CARS IN THE UNITED STATES, 1982~1986

https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=35361

For each of the years shown, the average cost per mile of operating a compact car minus the average cost per mile of operating a subcompact car was between

(A) $0.12 and $0.18

(B) $0.10 and $0.15

(C) $0.09 and $0.13

(D) $0.06 and $0.12

(E) $0.05 and $0.08

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

The Heading of the chart gives "AVERAGE COSTS OF OPERATING SUBCOMPACT, COMPACT, AND MIDSIZE CARS IN THE UNITED STATES"

So what we have in the graph are already average costs of operating cars in various segments. What we want to find is the difference between these values for compact and sub compact cars in various years.

1982 - The figure for subcompact is about .34 and for compact is about .45 - The difference is .11
1983 - The figure for subcompact is about .34 and for compact is about .44 - The difference is .10
1984 - The figure for subcompact is about .36 and for compact is about .48 - The difference is .12
1985 - The figure for subcompact is about .40 and for compact is about .47 - The difference is .07
1986 - The figure for subcompact is about .40 and for compact is about .48 - The difference is .08

All these values lie in the range (D)

amanvermagmat · Answer

Average cost per mile for a compact car = (0.45+0.45+0.45+0.48+0.49)/5 = 0.48

Average cost per mile for a sub-compact car = (0.33+0.33+0.36+0.4+0.4)/5 = 0.364

Difference = 0.48-0.364 = 0.116

This lies in the range given in  D , which is thus the answer

jokschmer · Answer

Here in this questions we need to look into the bar chart for difference in blank white bar and black bar values for every year ... and then get the lowest and highest difference values.... and check in answer option which one satisfy. 
IMO D

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

We see that for compact cars, the average costs are:
 
0.45, 0.44, 0.48, 0.48, 0.49
 
We see that for subcompact cars, the corresponding average costs are:
 
0.33, 0.33, 0.36, 0.40, 0.40
 
Thus, the differences between the average costs of compact cars and subcompact cars are: 
 
0.12, 0.11, 0.12, 0.08, 0.09
 
These differences are between the values of 0.06 and 0.12.
 
Answer: D

dave13 · Answer

hey amanvermagmat here is my solution I dont get why I am getting wrong answer Average cost per mile for a compact car 0,45 +0,44+ 0,48+ 0,47 +0,49/ 5 = 0.283 approx 280 Aver1age cost per mile for a sub-compact car 0.33+0.33+36+40+40/5 = 0.182 0.280-0.182 = 0.41 how on earth you calculate differently ?

pls explain i really dont get thanks!:)

ColumbiaEMBA · Answer

Estimate:

1982: .45 - .32 = .13
1983: .45 - .33 = .12
1984: .48 - .37 = .11
1985: .47 - .40 = .07
1986: .49 - .40 = .09

The min I get is .07. The max I get is .13. This leaves on choices C and D on the table. The min of C is .09 which is much higher than .07 so through POE, I would choose D.

ColumbiaEMBA · Answer

Keep in mind that you only have 2 minutes to solve a question. If this approach works for you, then great, but I would recommend estimating the averages for each year to solve this problem. It's a 40 second solution at best.

Anyhow, (0,45 +0,44+ 0,48+ 0,47 +0,49)/ 5 = 0.46 approximately, not .283. Same issue applies to the second calc you listed, your totals are wrong.

goforgmat · Answer

Instead if adding up all the subcompact and compact cost per miles , you can take the difference individually (as in Solns posted above)as the Q stem asks for "For each of the year"?
It could save you time and calculation mistakes IMO.

AamodHavaldar · Answer

There are no clear markings of exact numbers given in each year my interpretation the value never went bellow 0.9 so Option (C) seemed correct to me . Do anyone else agree with me ?

Bunuel · Answer

The graph does not require exact values here, we only need a reasonable estimate of the difference between the compact and subcompact bars in each year.

Option (C) cannot be correct because in 1985 the difference is clearly much smaller than 0.09. The compact value is about 0.46-0.47, while the subcompact value is about 0.40, so the difference is about  0.06-0.07 .

Therefore, the interval must include that smaller difference, which is why (D),  $0.06 to $0.12 , is the best answer.

ShadeFlight · Answer

We need to find the least and the max of the difference.
Basically range. And that is also what the options are.

The maximum difference is in 1984 ~0.11
The min difference is in 1985 ~0.6ish

Therefore the range is ~0.6 - 0.11

The answer therefore is D
 No need to calculate the average when you are asked the range.

AamodHavaldar · Answer

Sir , there is no Explicit mention of word "Range".
But i get your point now, the sentence implies range.Thanks ,it all makes sense now.

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