DeShawn set aside some of his savings to make charitable donations. If

Question

DeShawn set aside some of his savings to make charitable donations. If he gives 1/8 of the money to Charity A and 1/5 of the remainder to Charity B, what fraction of the original amount that he set aside does DeShawn have left to distribute to other charities?

A. 3/10
B. 3/5
C. 27/40
D. 7/10
E. 11/13

Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions

A. 3/10
B. 3/5
C. 27/40
D. 7/10
E. 11/13

Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions

Abhishek009 · Answer

Let total amount be 40

He gives 5 to Charity A and is left with 35
He gives 7 to Charity B and is left with 28

= 28/40 => 7/10, Answer will be (D)

sunshineeee · Answer

Hi, I don't understand the question. Why not

7/8 * 1/5 = 7/40 as the remainder left?

Bunuel · Answer

DeShawn set aside some of his savings to make charitable donations. If he gives 1/8 of the money to Charity A and 1/5 of the remainder to Charity B, what fraction of the original amount that he set aside does DeShawn have left to distribute to other charities?

A. 3/10
B. 3/5
C. 27/40
D. 7/10
E. 11/13

Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions

A. 3/10
B. 3/5
C. 27/40
D. 7/10
E. 11/13

After giving 1/8 to Charity A, DeShawn has 7/8 of the original amount left.

He then gives 1/5 of that remainder to Charity B, so he keeps 4/5 of the remainder:

7/8 * 4/5 = 28/40 = 7/10

Answer: D.

The 1/5 is the fraction of the remainder given to Charity B, not the fraction left.

sunshineeee · Answer

I got it, thank you  Bunuel  for the clarification!

egmat · Answer

Hi sunshineeee,

You're right that  7/40  is a real quantity in this problem. The catch is  what that number represents : it's the amount given to  Charity B , not the amount DeShawn has left.

Let's walk the words carefully:

- "gives  1/8  to Charity A" - so  7/8  of the money is left over. This is the  remainder .
- "gives  1/5  of the remainder to Charity B" - so Charity B gets  1/5  x  7/8  =  7/40 .

That  7/40  is money  going out the door , not staying. To find what's left, you keep the  other  part of the remainder - the  4/5  that was  not  given away:

4/5  x  7/8  =  28/40  =  7/10

That matches Abhishek's number version above: starting with  40 , give  5  to A (leaving  35 ), give  7  to B (leaving  28 ), and  28/40  =  7/10 .

The key idea:  " 1/5  of the remainder" is the  donation . What's kept is the leftover fraction,  4/5  of that remainder.

Quick check to lock it in:  Suppose you have  $100  and give away  1/4  of it.

- The  1/4  ( $25 ) is what leaves.
- What you keep is the  other  piece:  3/4 , or  $75 .

Same move here - track the fraction that  stays , not the fraction that leaves.

Answer: D

DeShawn set aside some of his savings to make charitable donations. If

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Problem Solving (PS) Questions

DeShawn set aside some of his savings to make charitable donations. If

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards