Question Breakeven

Plenty of people are rejected due to this breakeven question type. This is super easy with this structure ^^

STRUCTURE RULES
Structure the breakeven equation first. Define the breakeven metric. Calculate each component by translating the prompt. Do mental math shortcut and math priority

Breakeven structure
At breakeven,
Profit = 0
Revenu – cost = 0

Revenu structure
Revenue = Freight rate per ton*km x #km x #ton/train
Revenue = 0.07 x #km x 1000
= 70 x #km

Cost structure
Cost = Lease cost + Labor cost + Variable cost

• Lease cost = 200K per year  
• Labor cost =  #personnel x average wage per month x #month = 6.25K x 4 x 12 = 25K x 12 (mental math priority) =25K x 4 x 3 (mental math shortcut) =300K per year  
• Variable cost = operating cost per km x #km = 20 x #km

Cost = 200K + 300K + 20 x #km
= 500K + 20 x #km

Breakeven resolution in km per year
Revenu - Cost = 0
70 x #km - 500K + 20 x #km = 0
(70-20) x #km = 500K
#km = 500K / 50
#km = 10 K per year

Breakeven resolution in km x tons per year
To break even the train need to achieve 10K km
Each train pull 1 000 tons
To break even the train need to achieve 10K km * 1 000 tons = 10K*1K = 10M km x tons
Answer (b)


STRUCTURE FORMULAS
At breakeven, Profit = 0.
25 is a mental math priority
12 has as mental math shortcut 2 x 6 and 3 x 4

Upvote if it is useful ;)

Hi, in addition to the solution proposed by Mounir, I would like to suggest similar cases in the platform to practice with:

• https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-much-would-you-charge-to-clean-all-the-windows-in-seattle-4965
• https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/market-sizing-milk-consumption-5087
• https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-would-you-calculate-the-value-of-a-cow-4982
• https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/estimate-number-of-traffic-lights-in-a-london-5692

Hope it helps,
Antonello

[for further practice and problems like this]

Precisely for the high amount of questions (1) asked by my coachees and students and (2) present in this Q&A, I created the “Economic and Financial concepts for MBB interviews”, recently published in PrepLounge’s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/prep-guide/economic_and_financial_concepts_for_mbb_interviews).

After +5 years of candidate coaching and university teaching, and after having seen hundreds of cases, I realized that the economic-related knowledge needed to master case interviews is not much, and not complex. However, you need to know where to focus! Hence, I created the guide that I wish I could have had, summarizing the most important economic and financial concepts needed to solve consulting cases, combining key concepts theorical reviews and a hands-on methodology with examples and ad-hoc practice cases.

It focuses on 4 core topics, divided in chapters (each of them ranked in scale of importance, to help you maximize your time in short preparations):

·        Economic concepts: Profitability equation, Break even, Valuation methods (economic, market and asset), Payback period, NPV and IRR, + 3 practice cases to put it all together in a practical way.

·        Financial concepts: Balance sheet, Income statement/P&L and Performance ratios (based on sales and based on investment), +1 practice case

·        Market structure & pricing: Market types, Perfect competition markets (demand and supply), Willingness to pay, Pricing approaches, Market segmentation and Price elasticity of demand, +1 practice case

·        Marketing and Customer Acquisition: Sales funnel, Key marketing metrics (CAC and CLV) and Churn, +1 practice case

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the guide, and I hope it helps you rock your interviews!