Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Data Sufficiency - 53








Answer:
D

From statement (1): Square root of a number less than 1 is also less than 1 - sufficient
From statement (2): Reciprocal of any number less than 1 is greater than the number - sufficient

Data Sufficiency - 52

If x is not equal to zero, is 1/x > 1 ?

1) y/ x > y
2) x^3 > x^2

Answer: B

From statement (1): y/x > y
=> y > xy
=> y(1-x) > 0
y>0 when x is less than 1 or y<0 when x is greater than 1 ---- hence insufficient

From statement (2): x^3 > x^2
=> x^2(x-1) > 0
=> x^2 >0 and x>1
Since x>1, 1/x can not be greater than 1 ---- hence sufficient

Hence B

Monday, January 12, 2009

Data Sufficiency - 51

A store purchases 20 coats that each cost an equal amount and then sold each of the 20 coats at an equal price, what was the store's gross profit on the 20 coats?

1). If the selling price per coat had been twice as much, the store's gross profit on the 20 coats would have been 2400

2). If the store selling price per coat had been $2 more, the store's gross profit on the 20 coats would have been 440

Answer: B

Suppose the cost of each coat = x

Suppose sales price = y

=> Total cost = 20x and sales price = 20y

We are required to find the profit: 20(y-x).

From statement 1): It is given that 20(2y-x)=2400

Doesn't helps to find out 20(y-x) --- insufficient

From statement 2): It is given that 20(y+2-x) = 440,

=> 20(y-x) = 400 --- sufficient

Hence B


Problem Solving - 56

A certain stock exchange designates each stock with a one- , two-,or three-letter code ,where each letter is selected from the 26 letters of the alphabet. If the letter may be repeated and if the same letters used in a different order constitute a different code, how many different stocks is it possible to uniquely designate with these codes?

A) 2951

B) 8125

C) 15600

D) 15302

E) 18278


Answer: E

Total ways to pick a 3 letter code = 26*26*26 = 26^3
Total ways to pick a 2 letter code = 26*26 = 26^2
Total ways to pick a 1 letter code = 26

Thus total stocks: 26^3 + 26^2 + 26 = 26(26^2 + 26 + 1) = 18278

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Problem Solving - 55

Which of the following fractions has a decimal equivalent that is a terminating decimal?

A. 10/189
B. 15/196
C. 16/225
D. 25/144
E. 39/ 128

Answer: E

RULE: If denominator of a fraction has just the prime factors of 2 or 5 or both it is terminating otherwise not

128 = 2*2*2*2*2*2*2 => has only factors of 2..hence the ans

Problem Solving - 54

This year Henry will save a certain amount of his income, and he will spend the rest. Next year Henry will have no income, but for each dollar that he saves this year, he will have 1 + r dollars available to spend. In terms of r, what fraction of his income should Henry save this year so that next year the amount he was available to spend will be equal to half the amount that he spends this year?

(A) 1/(r+2)
(B) 1/2(r+2)
(C) 1/(3r+2)
(D) 1/(r+3)
(E) 1/(2r+3)


Answer: E

Let total income = x
Let saved = y
=> spent = x-y

Total dollars available that he can spend next year = y(1+r)

Given y(1+r) = (x-y)/2
=> y = x/(2r+3)

Fraction (y/x) = 1/(2r+3)

Hence E

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Problem Solving - 53

A student worked 20 days. For each of the amount shown (see attached table) in the first row of the table, second row gives the number of days the student earned that amount. Median amount of money earned per day for 20 days is?

A) 96
B) 84
C) 80
D) 70
E) 48

Answer: B

Median day = 20+1)/2 = 10.5 th -- money earned was 84
= Average value of 10th and 11th day in the sequence = Median amount of money
Average value of 10th day = 84
Average value of 11th day = 84
Average value of 10th and 11th day = 84 ans

Friday, November 07, 2008

Data Sufficiency - 50

What is the median number of employees assigned per project for the projects at Company Z?

(1) 25 percent of the projects at Company Z have 4 or more employees assigned to each project.
(2) 35 percent of the projects at Company Z have 2 or fewer employees assigned to each project.

Answer: OA - C

From Statement 1):
It is given that 25 percent of the projects at Company Z have 4 or more employees assigned to each project - but we donot know the percentage of projects who have employees less than 4 or in other words we do not have any information about the rest 75% projects ---- hence insufficient

From Statement 2): It is given that 35 percent of the projects at Company Z have 2 or fewer employees assigned to each project - but we donot know the percentage of projects who have employees more than 2 or in other words we do not have any information about the rest 65% projects---- hence insufficient

Taking both the statements together:
25 percent of the projects at Company Z have employees 4 , 5, 6..
35 percent of the projects at Company Z have employees 2, 1, 0
=> 40% of projects have 3 employees = > median value is 3

(1-35)employees -- (36-75)employees -- (76-100)employees
2 or less than 2 ---------3, 3, 3, ------------ 4 or more than 4

Monday, November 03, 2008

Problem Solving - 52

A boat traveled up stream a distance of 90 miles at an average speed of (v-3) mph and then traveled the same distance downstream at an average speed of (v+3) mph. If the trip upstream took half an hour longer than the trip downstream, how many hours did it take the boat to travel downstream?

(A) 2.5
(B) 2.4
(C) 2.3
(D) 2.2
(E) 2.1

Answer: A

Total upstream time taken by boat to travel = 90/
(v-3) hrs
Total downstream time taken by boat to travel = 90/ (v+3) hrs

It is given that upstream took half an hour longer than the trip downstream:

=> 90/(v-3) - 90/(v+3) = 1/2

=> [90*(v+3) - 90(v-3)] / [(v^2) -9)] = 1/2
=> 90*[(v+3)-(v-3)] / [(v^2) -9] = 1/2
=> 90*6/ [(v^2) -9] = 1/2
=> v^2 - 9 = 2*90*6
=> v^2 = 2*90*6 + 9 = 2*9*10*6 + 9 = 9(2*10*6+1) = 9(121) = 9*11*11
=> v = 3*11 = 33

We are suppose to calculate = 90/(v+3) = 90/36 = 30/12 = 5/2 = 2.5 ans

Problem Solving - 51

Each of the 10 machines works at the same constant rate of doing certain job. The amount of time needed by 10 machines, working together to complete the job is 16 hrs. How many hours are needed if only 8 machines working together were to complete the job?

A. 18
B. 20
C. 22
D. 24
E. 26

Answer: B

10 machines, working at same constant rate, take time to complete a job = 16 hrs
thus 1 machine takes time to complete a job = 10 * 16 = 160 hrs
=> 8 machines will take = 160/8 = 20 hrs to complete the job.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Problem Solving - 50

If x = -|x|, then which one of the following statements could be true?

I. x=0
II. x < 0
III. x > 0

A). none
B). I only
C). III only
D). I and II
E). II and III

Answer: D

Given x = - |x|
We know that |x| >= 0
=> -|x| = x <=0

Thus inequalities represented by I and II