Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a

Question

Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a friend. Al contributed $2 less than 1/3 of the cost of the gift and Lew contributed $2 more than 1/4of the cost. If Karen contributed the remaining $15, what was the cost of the gift?

(A) $24
(B) $33
(C) $36
(D) $43
(E) $45

(A) $24
(B) $33
(C) $36
(D) $43
(E) $45

pmenon · Accepted Answer

C - 36

the two guys together contribute to 7/12 (1/3 + 1/4) of the overall price, leaving 5/12 to be paid.

this 5/12 is equivalent to 15 dollars, and so the overall cost of the gift is 15*12/5 = 36

MHIKER · Answer

Do the red mark portions have any impact on solving the ps?

BDSunDevil · Answer

had it been $2 and $3 or different for each cases, it would have had impact.

Bunuel · Answer

Similar question to practice: three-friends-are-buying-a-gift-for-a-friend-declan-contributes-4-dol-193481.html

mvictor · Answer

A=x/3-2
L=x/4+2
K=15
all together equal to x.
x/3+x/4 + 15 = x
7x/12 +15 = x
5x/12 = 15
x = 12*15/5
x=12*3
x=36

C

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

We can let the total cost of the gift = n and create the equations.

We see that:

Al contributed: (1/3)n - 2

Lew contributed: (1/4)n + 2

Karen contributed: 15

And so:

(1/3)n - 2 + (1/4)n + 2 + 15 = n

(1/3)n + (1/4)n + 15 = n

Multiplying by 12, we have:

4n + 3n + 180 = 12n

7n + 180 = 12n

180 = 5n

36 = n

Answer: C

LucienH · Answer

Be careful here I think the total equation would have taken into account that A paid (1/3)X - 2 
and that L paid 1/4 * X + 2

But these in fact cancel out when you equate the 15$ to the remaining portion of the price:

15 = X - (1/3)X + 2 - (1/4)X - 2 
this simplifies to 15 = x - X * 7/12 
correct, but the numbers would have been different, the result wouldn't have been this

punwani7 · Answer

Yes! Since they nullify each other here (+2 -2), we can just add the portions of contribution by al and lew. The remainder contribution equals 15 dollars which makes the remaining sum straightforward.

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Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a

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