Last visit was: 23 Apr 2026, 19:56 It is currently 23 Apr 2026, 19:56
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
505-555 (Easy)|   Word Problems|         
avatar
Acer86
avatar
Joined: 03 Dec 2010
Last visit: 18 Feb 2012
Posts: 23
Own Kudos:
566
 [42]
Given Kudos: 7
GPA: 3.38
Posts: 23
Kudos: 566
 [42]
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Apr 2011, 06:59
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
37
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

15% (low)

Question Stats:

82% (02:12) correct 18% (02:26) wrong based on 1302 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
A
Every tricky question should trigger a follow up quiz. Build that habit with GMAT Club Forum Quiz →.
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,733
Own Kudos:
36,451
 [12]
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,733
Kudos: 36,451
 [12]
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 13 Dec 2019, 08:07
7
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01
Show more

GIVEN: A TOTAL of y tickets are sold

GIVEN: x tickets regularly sell for $9.00 each. The SALE price = $9/2 + $0.50 = $5
So, these x tickets will cost a total of 5x dollars

GIVEN: The remaining tickets regularly sell for $12.00 each. The SALE price = $12/2 + $1.00 = $7
If there are y tickets in TOTAL, and x tickets have a sale price of $5 per ticket, the remaining y-x tickets have a sale price of $7 per ticket
So, these y-x tickets will cost a total of 7(y-x) dollars

So the TOTAL amount paid for all white tickets = 5x + 7(y-x)
= 5x + (7y - 7x)
= 7y - 2x

Answer: A

Cheers,
Brent
General Discussion
User avatar
subhashghosh
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Last visit: 25 Jun 2024
Posts: 894
Own Kudos:
1,302
 [1]
Given Kudos: 43
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: Strategy, Technology
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 894
Kudos: 1,302
 [1]
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Apr 2011, 07:06
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
p < 10 => p/2 + 0.50

p >= 10 => p/2 + 1.00



Break up for y tickets = x * (9/2 + 0.50) + (y-x) * (12/2 + 1)


= x * 5 + 7y - 7x

= 7y - 2x

Answer - A
User avatar
gmat1220
User avatar
Joined: 03 Feb 2011
Last visit: 17 Feb 2020
Posts: 461
Own Kudos:
1,015
Given Kudos: 123
Status:Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. It's a dare. Impossible is nothing.
Affiliations: University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 461
Kudos: 1,015
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Apr 2011, 07:09
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
x tickets are sold for $4.5 + $0.5 i.e. $5 each
y - x tickets are sold for $6 + $1 i.e. $7 each

hence total price paid = 5x + 7(y-x) = 7y - 2x

Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x
Show more
User avatar
ramprakash
User avatar
Joined: 02 Oct 2010
Last visit: 03 Jul 2012
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
8
Given Kudos: 5
Concentration: Marketing,International Business, General Management
Schools:Ross,Duke,Emory
Posts: 15
Kudos: 8
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Apr 2011, 10:22
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
[quote][/quote]


Total of y tickets :

x tickets sold @ 9$ each...
If the price is less than 10 $, then the actual performance day price = half the price + 0.50 $
= ( 4.5 + 0.5 ) x

rest of the tickets = ( y - x ) sold @ 12 $
If the price is more than 10 $ then the actual performance day price = half the price + 1 $
= ( 6 + 1 ) (y - x) = ( y- x ) 7

Total Amount for y tickets = 5x + (y-x) 7
= 7y - 2x

Ans : A
User avatar
Spidy001
User avatar
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Last visit: 16 Feb 2015
Posts: 298
Own Kudos:
355
Given Kudos: 42
Posts: 298
Kudos: 355
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Apr 2011, 17:22
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
7y-2x.

Answer is A.
User avatar
EMPOWERgmatRichC
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Last visit: 31 Dec 2023
Posts: 21,777
Own Kudos:
13,047
Given Kudos: 450
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Posts: 21,777
Kudos: 13,047
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 29 Jan 2015, 13:50
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi All,

This question can be solved by TESTing VALUES.

This prompt tells us some specific changes that occur to the price of a show ticket if you buy the ticket on the day of the show:
1) If the regular price is LESS than $10, then the ticket sells for HALF the price + $0.50
2) If the regular price is GREATER than/equal to $10, then the ticket sells for HALF the price + $1.00

We're told that someone purchases Y tickets on the day of the show; X of the tickets normally sell for $9, while the rest sell for $12. We're asked for the price paid for these tickets.

Looking at the Answers, I can see that they're different enough from one another that I can TEST really small numbers for Y and X.

IF....
Y = 2 tickets
X = 1 ticket that normally costs $9
The other (1) ticket normally costs $12

With the discounts, the prices would be....
(1/2)(9) + $0.50 = $4.50 = $0.50 = $5.00
(1/2)(12) + $1.00 = $6.00 + $1.00 = $7.00

Total Price = $12, when Y = 2 and X = 1

Answer A: 7(2) - 2(1) = 12 This IS a MATCH
Answer B: 12(1) - 7(2) = -2 NOT a match
Answer C: [9(1) + 12(2)]/3 = 11 NOT a match
Answer D: 7(2) + 4(1) = 18 NOT a match
Answer E: 7(2) + 5(1) = 19 NOT a match

Final Answer:
Show Spoiler
A

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 22,283
Own Kudos:
26,531
 [1]
Given Kudos: 302
Status:Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Location: United States (CA)
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 22,283
Kudos: 26,531
 [1]
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 12 Nov 2018, 08:35
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x
Show more

Since x tickets are regularly sold for $9 each, now they are sold for 4.5 + 0.5 = $5 each. Thus, the cost of the x discounted tickets is 5x. Similarly, since the rest of the tickets, i.e., (y - x) tickets, are regularly sold for $12 each, now they are sold for 6 + 1 = $7 each. The cost of the (y - x) discounted tickets is 7(y - x). Therefore, the total amount, in dollars, paid for the y tickets is:

5x + 7(y - x) = 5x + 7y - 7x = 7y - 2x

Answer: A
User avatar
hemantbafna
User avatar
Joined: 30 Jan 2020
Last visit: 02 Mar 2021
Posts: 162
Own Kudos:
90
Given Kudos: 527
Location: India
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
Posts: 162
Kudos: 90
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 31 Jul 2020, 23:01
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01
Show more


Regular Price=Rp
Selling Price=Sp

Rp1<$10.00
Sp1=1/2(Rp1)+0.05

Rp2>$10.00
Sp2=1/2(Rp2)+1

Total tickets =y
Sp1= (4.5+0.5)x
Sp2=7(y-x)

Total SP= 5x+7(y-x)=7y-2x

A
User avatar
MBAHOUSE
User avatar
MBA House Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 May 2022
Last visit: 23 Apr 2024
Posts: 337
Own Kudos:
98
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 337
Kudos: 98
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 07 Jun 2022, 12:22
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Again, the basis of this question is given by quantity x value = amount
It’s like weighed average the concept implicit.
GMAT is about patterns and not tricks. The secret is recognize these patterns always through OFFICIAL questions.
Attachments

700CB39F-20A3-4F95-8D39-AAAD8B79922F.jpeg
700CB39F-20A3-4F95-8D39-AAAD8B79922F.jpeg [ 411.14 KiB | Viewed 8840 times ]

User avatar
ThatDudeKnows
User avatar
Joined: 11 May 2022
Last visit: 27 Jun 2024
Posts: 1,070
Own Kudos:
1,030
 [1]
Given Kudos: 79
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 1,070
Kudos: 1,030
 [1]
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu Updated on: 08 Jun 2022, 13:54
Originally posted by ThatDudeKnows on 07 Jun 2022, 20:18.
Last edited by ThatDudeKnows on 08 Jun 2022, 13:54, edited 1 time in total.
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01
Show more

If I see variables in the question that are repeated in the answer choices, I'm going to take that as an invitation to use Plugging In.
Let's make y (the total number of tickets) = 3 and x (the number of $9 tickets) = 1. That means there are two $12 tickets.
The $9 ticket sells for $5. The two $12 tickets sell for $7 each, so $14. All three tickets sell for a total of $19.

Let's check the answer choices:
(A) 7(3) - 2 = 19 Keep it.
(B) 12(3) - 7 = 29 Eliminate.
(C) (9(3) +12)/3 = 13 Eliminate.
(D) 7(3) + 4 = 25 Eliminate.
(E) 7(3) + 5 = 26 Eliminate.

Answer choice A.
User avatar
GmatPoint
User avatar
Joined: 02 Jan 2022
Last visit: 13 Oct 2022
Posts: 246
Own Kudos:
140
Given Kudos: 3
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
Posts: 246
Kudos: 140
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 08 Jun 2022, 02:18
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Since the price of tickets which were less than $10 is half in addition of $0.5,
The ticket price of x tickets(initial price $9) will be $4.5 + $0.5 = $5

Total tickets = y.
Thus the remaining tickets = y - x

Also, as the price of tickets which were more than $10 is half addition to $1,
The ticket price of y - x tickets(initial price $12) will be $6 + $1 = $7.

Thus total price of tickets = 7(y - x) + 5x
= 7y - 2x
User avatar
MBAHOUSE
User avatar
MBA House Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 May 2022
Last visit: 23 Apr 2024
Posts: 337
Own Kudos:
98
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 337
Kudos: 98
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 08 Jun 2022, 13:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ThatDudeKnows
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01

If I see variables in the question that are repeated in the answer choices, I'm going to take that as an invitation to use PITA (Plugging In The Answers).
Let's make y (the total number of tickets) = 3 and x (the number of $9 tickets) = 1. That means there are two $12 tickets.
The $9 ticket sells for $5. The two $12 tickets sell for $7 each, so $14. All three tickets sell for a total of $19.

Let's check the answer choices:
(A) 7(3) - 2 = 19 Keep it.
(B) 12(3) - 7 = 29 Eliminate.
(C) (9(3) +12)/3 = 13 Eliminate.
(D) 7(3) + 4 = 25 Eliminate.
(E) 7(3) + 5 = 26 Eliminate.

Answer choice A.
Show more

Why you chose 3 tickets total and not other number?
User avatar
ThatDudeKnows
User avatar
Joined: 11 May 2022
Last visit: 27 Jun 2024
Posts: 1,070
Own Kudos:
1,030
Given Kudos: 79
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 1,070
Kudos: 1,030
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 08 Jun 2022, 13:54
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
MarceloRamos
ThatDudeKnows
Acer86
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regularly sells for less than $10.00 is sold for half price plus $0.50, and each ticket that regularly sells for $10.00 or more is sold for half price plus $1.00. On the day of the performance, a person purchases a total of y tickets, of which x regularly sell for $9.00 each and the rest regularly sell for $12.00 each. What is the amount paid, in dollars, for the y tickets ?

(A) 7y - 2x
(B) 12x - 7y
(C) (9x +12y)/3
(D) 7y + 4x
(E) 7y + 5x

PS35302.01

If I see variables in the question that are repeated in the answer choices, I'm going to take that as an invitation to use Plugging In.
Let's make y (the total number of tickets) = 3 and x (the number of $9 tickets) = 1. That means there are two $12 tickets.
The $9 ticket sells for $5. The two $12 tickets sell for $7 each, so $14. All three tickets sell for a total of $19.

Let's check the answer choices:
(A) 7(3) - 2 = 19 Keep it.
(B) 12(3) - 7 = 29 Eliminate.
(C) (9(3) +12)/3 = 13 Eliminate.
(D) 7(3) + 4 = 25 Eliminate.
(E) 7(3) + 5 = 26 Eliminate.

Answer choice A.

Why you chose 3 tickets total and not other number?
Show more

MarceloRamos

I just wanted a number that was easy to work with. Decent chance that 2 would have worked, but we have an answer choice that has 2x, and that also would have made the number each ticket type the same, so I just bumped it up to 3. If we had ended up with more than one answer choice that worked, we would have had to pick new numbers and repeat the process just for the remaining answer choices, but even if that happens, it's still pretty quick and I think the chances of making a careless mistake are pretty low.
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,964
Own Kudos:
1,117
Posts: 38,964
Kudos: 1,117
On the day of the performance of a certain play, each ticket that regu 04 Dec 2025, 02:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
Bunuel
Math Expert
109785 posts
Krunaal
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts