Question

In a group of m men, b men earn D dollars per week and the rest earn half that amount each. Represent the total number of dollars paid to these men in a week.

P.S. Whenever i try solving this problem i get 3/2D(b+m) Could you kindly tell what i am doing wrong?

Answer 1

The answer choices for this problem were:

(A) bD+b-m
(B) 1/2D(b+m)
(C) 3/2D+mD
(D) 3/2D(b+m)
(E) bD+1/2mD

The answer to this problem is "B", but I don't understand how they got it.

Answer 2

b men earning D dollars = bD
remaining men = m-b each earning D/2
so they earn D/2(m - b) = mD/2 - bD/2

total = bD + mD/2 - bD/2
= 2bD/2 + mD/2 - bD/2 , using a common denominator
= bD/2 + mD/2
= D/2(b+m) , using a common factor of D/2
which is B

D/2 is the same as (1/2)D