Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 02:19 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 02:19
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.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,822
Own Kudos:
811,129
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,878
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,822
Kudos: 811,129
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,733
Own Kudos:
36,459
 [3]
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,733
Kudos: 36,459
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
balamoon
Joined: 26 Dec 2011
Last visit: 04 May 2025
Posts: 111
Own Kudos:
313
 [2]
Given Kudos: 91
Schools: HBS '18 IIMA
Schools: HBS '18 IIMA
Posts: 111
Kudos: 313
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GMATinsight
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 08 Jul 2010
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 6,977
Own Kudos:
16,915
 [3]
Given Kudos: 128
Status:GMAT/GRE Tutor l Admission Consultant l On-Demand Course creator
Location: India
GMAT: QUANT+DI EXPERT
Schools: IIM (A) ISB '24
GMAT 1: 750 Q51 V41
WE:Education (Education)
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: IIM (A) ISB '24
GMAT 1: 750 Q51 V41
Posts: 6,977
Kudos: 16,915
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
United Telephone charges a base rate of $10.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.25 per minute. Atlantic Call charges a base rate of $12.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.20 per minute. For what number of minutes would the bills for each telephone company be the same?

A. 2 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 20 minutes
D. 40 minutes
E. 60 minutes

Kudos for a correct solution.

METHOD-1

United Telephone Total Charges = Base rate ($10) + 0.25* No. of Minutes

United Telephone Total Charges = Base rate ($12) + 0.20* No. of Minutes

For both of them to be same

($10) + 0.25* No. of Minutes = ($12) + 0.20* No. of Minutes

i.e. 0.05*No. of Minutes = 12 - 10 = 2
i.e. No. of Minutes = 40

Answer: Option D

METHOD-2

Just look at the difference the difference of $0.05 (0.25-0.20) for 'n' calls must bridge the difference of Base rate of $2 ($12- $10)

i.e. 0.05*n = 2

i.e. n = 40

Answer: Option D
User avatar
adityadon
Joined: 18 Mar 2014
Last visit: 28 Nov 2025
Posts: 204
Own Kudos:
152
 [1]
Given Kudos: 177
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Strategy
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V35
GPA: 3.19
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
suppose x = no. of minutes

so ,
10 +0.25x = 12 +0.20x

Solving we get , x=40 mints

Answer D
User avatar
lipsi18
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Last visit: 30 Nov 2019
Posts: 131
Own Kudos:
57
 [1]
Given Kudos: 4
Location: United States
Concentration: Technology, Social Entrepreneurship
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Posts: 131
Kudos: 57
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let # of minutes =x
So we have 10 +0.25x=12+0.2x

Solving above equation we get, x=40 min

Hence answer is D
Thanks,
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,822
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,878
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,822
Kudos: 811,129
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
United Telephone charges a base rate of $10.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.25 per minute. Atlantic Call charges a base rate of $12.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.20 per minute. For what number of minutes would the bills for each telephone company be the same?

A. 2 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 20 minutes
D. 40 minutes
E. 60 minutes

Kudos for a correct solution.

MANHATTAN GMAT OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Let x = the number of minutes.
A call made by United Telephone costs $10.00 plus $0.25 per minute: 10 + 0.25x.
A call made by Atlantic Call costs $12.00 plus $0.20 per minute: 12 + 0.20x.

Set the expressions equal to each other:
10 + 0.25x = 12 + 0.20x
x = 40

Answer: D.
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 22,286
Own Kudos:
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: 22,286
Kudos: 26,534
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
United Telephone charges a base rate of $10.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.25 per minute. Atlantic Call charges a base rate of $12.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.20 per minute. For what number of minutes would the bills for each telephone company be the same?

A. 2 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 20 minutes
D. 40 minutes
E. 60 minutes

We can let n = the number of minutes and create the equation:

10 + 0.25n = 12 + 0.2n

0.05n = 2

n = 40

Answer: D
User avatar
EMPOWERgmatRichC
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Last visit: 31 Dec 2023
Posts: 21,777
Own Kudos:
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: 13,048
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi All,

We're told that United Telephone charges a base rate of $10.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.25 per minute. A different company, Atlantic Call, charges a base rate of $12.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.20 per minute. We're asked for the number of minutes in which the bills for each telephone company would be the SAME. This question can be solved in a couple of different ways, including by TESTing THE ANSWERS.

Looking at the two billing 'equations', we can see that United Telephone charges MORE per MINUTE, but Atlantic Call has a HIGHER BASE RATE. As such, we have to find the exact number of minutes to compensate for the $2.00 difference in the base rates - and the difference in the per-minute rate is only $0.05 per minute. Many of the answer choices are relatively small, meaning that they couldn't possibly be enough minutes to make up the $2-difference. Thus, we should start by 'TESTing' one of the larger answers first.

Let's TEST Answer D: 40 minutes

40 minutes of United Telephone = $10.00 + (40)($0.25) = $10 + $10 = $20
40 minutes of Atlantic Call = $12.00 + (40)($0.20) = $12 + $8 = $20

These two totals are the SAME, so this MUST be the answer!

Final Answer:
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Contact Rich at: [email protected]
User avatar
TheNightKing
Joined: 18 Dec 2017
Last visit: 20 Mar 2024
Posts: 1,124
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 421
Location: United States (KS)
GMAT 1: 600 Q46 V27
GMAT 1: 600 Q46 V27
Posts: 1,124
Kudos: 1,381
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
United Telephone charges a base rate of $10.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.25 per minute. Atlantic Call charges a base rate of $12.00 for service, plus an additional charge of $0.20 per minute. For what number of minutes would the bills for each telephone company be the same?

A. 2 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C. 20 minutes
D. 40 minutes
E. 60 minutes

Kudos for a correct solution.

The cheaper base rate service charges 5 cents extra for a minute. The difference between base rates is 2$. So we need to cover 200 cents at a rate of 5 cents per minutes. That will be done in 40 minutes. Hence D.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109822 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts