If Bob produces 36 or fewer items in a week, he is paid x dollars per item. If Bob produces more than 36 items in a week, he is paid x dollars per item for the first 36 items and 1 1/2(1.5) times that amount for every additional item.
How many items did Bob produce last week?

(A) Last week Bob was paid a total of $480 for the items he produced that week.

(B) This week Bob produced 2 more items than last week and was paid a total of $510 for the items that he produced this week.

What is the OA?
Thanks.

OA is E.
As per my understanding, it should be C.

Both 1) and 2) can result in two equations

1. 36 items * 10 dollars + y items * 15 dollars = 480

As from 2) we know that USD 30 more were generated by selling 2 more items, USD 15 was the price per item, hence the resulting values


2. x items * 15 dollars = USD 510

x items = 510/15 = 34. Hence for 34 items, a constant price of 15 dollars was charged.


Hence USD 15 can be the price for less than 36 items as well.

Therefore both 1) and 2) are INSUFFICIENT, hence E

well played. for the first case, it is ESSENTIAL that you calculate y, though: y = 8.
unlike most DS equations, this one depends upon "y" being an integer; if you solve the equation and y turns out NOT to be an integer, then that's actually not a solution at all.
because y actually works out to an integer, this is a legitimate second solution.
so, to recap, this problem works out with EITHER
(1) 36 items @ $10 each, 8 items @ $15 each, 2 add'l items @ $15 each
OR
(2) 32 items @ $15 each, 2 add'l items @ $15 each
so, insufficient.

i like this problem.

can u pls explain the second part a bit more in detail.i did not understand that part.

sure.

if bob produces 32 items at $15 each, that's a total of $480, as stipulated by statement (1).
however, because he hasn't reached the threshold level of 36 items yet, bob will still only get $15 per item for the 33rd and 34th items. adding these on, we get a total of $510, as required.