GMAT Math Questions | Percentages Q19

This GMAT 550-600 level quant practice question is a data sufficiency question from percentage. Concept: Checking whether sufficient data is available to equate percent of sales to commission earned in value terms and arrive at a value for sales booked in a month.

GMAT Data Sufficiency | Directions | Click Here ▼

This data sufficiency problem consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), in which certain data are given. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements, plus your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in a leap year or the meaning of the word counterclockwise), you must indicate whether -

1. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
2. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
3. BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
4. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
5. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Numbers

All numbers used are real numbers.

Figures

A figure accompanying a data sufficiency question will conform to the information given in the question but will not necessarily conform to the additional information given in statements (1) and (2)

Lines shown as straight can be assumed to be straight and lines that appear jagged can also be assumed to be straight

You may assume that the positions of points, angles, regions, etc. exist in the order shown and that angle measures are greater than zero.

All figures lie in a plane unless otherwise indicated.

Note

In data sufficiency problems that ask for the value of a quantity, the data given in the statement are sufficient only when it is possible to determine exactly one numerical value for the quantity.

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Question 19: If a salesman received a commission of 3% of the sales that he has booked in a month, what was the sales booked by the salesman in the month of November 2003?

1. The sales booked by the salesman in the month of November 2003 minus salesman's commission was $245,000
2. The selling price of the sales booked by the salesman in the month of November 2003 was 125 percent of the original purchase price of $225,000

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Video Explanation

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Explanatory Answer | GMAT Percentages

Step 1: Evaluate Statement 1 ALONE

Statement 1: The sales booked by the salesman in the month of November 2003 minus salesman's commission was $245,000

From statement 1, we know the value of sales after the salesman's commission is subtracted.
From the question stem, we know his commission is 3% of the sales booked. Then value of sales after subtracting his commission is 100 − 3 = 97% of the sales booked.
Putting the two together, we can deduce that 97% of sales booked = $245,000. So we can find out the sales booked.
Statement 1 ALONE is SUFFICIENT.
Eliminate choices B, C, and E.
Answers narrow down to choices (A) or (D).

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Step 2: Evaluate Statement 2 ALONE

Statement 2: The selling price of the sales booked by the salesman in the month of November 2003 was 125 percent of the original purchase price of $225,000.

From statement 2, we know that the original purchase of the products is $225,000.
We can compute the sales booked as 125% of 225,000 = 1.25 × 225,000.
Statement 2 ALONE is SUFFICIENT.

Each statement is INDEPENDENTLY sufficient.

Choice D is the correct answer.