<p>ok i can never figure out how to do these problems on the sat that have a gazillion variables ...like this one for eg:
A company produces soap at the rate of b bars in h hours. If the company can sell each bar of soap for 3 dollars, how many dollars worth of soap does it produce in x hours?
(A) 3b/h
(B) bx/3h
(C) 3h/bx
(D) 3bx/h
(E) 3bh/x
how do i go about solving this one without going blank for like 5 mins..plz help!</p>
<p>in h hours -> b bars
in x hours -> xb/h bars</p>
<p>1 bar for 3 dollars
xb/h bars for 3xb/h dollars</p>
<p>When you can't figure out what to do, you can plug in your own numbers for b, x and h and then find which answer choice fits your target answer.</p>
<p>CollegiateD has the right logic. However, if you find you are 'blanking out', you may want to work your way backwards from the required answer.</p>
<p>$ of soap in x hours = ($ per bar).(bars of soap in x hours)
= ($ per bar).(x hours).(bars of soap per hour)
= (3)(x)(b/h)
= 3bx/h</p>
<p>Yeah rates are in division mode too, so the rate of b bars per h hour is b/h. multiply it by x hours xb/h then by 3 to get 3xb/h</p>