PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 142: Answer and Explanation

Question: 142

A college bookstore makes a profit of $0.75 for every 12 pencils it sells. Which of the following is the profit that the store makes for selling 20 pencils?

• A. $0.75
• B. $0.95
• C. $1.25
• D. $2.22

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks for the profit the store makes for selling 20 pencils. Because profits increase as pencils sold increase, set up a proportion: . Cross-multiply to get 12x = $15. Divide both sides by 12 to get x = $1.25. The correct answer is (C).