Challenge #3: Percentages

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 385
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:40 am
Location: Pune, India
Thanked: 186 times
Followed by:29 members

Challenge #3: Percentages

by aneesh.kg » Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:21 am
The population of a city, which was X in January, increases by a certain amount in February of the same year and becomes Y. Then Y increases by a certain amount in March of the same year and becomes Z. Is the percentage change from X to Y greater than that from Y to Z?
(1) Y - X = Z - Y
(2) X = 150, Z = 300

OA: Later
Source: Self-designed
Aneesh Bangia
GMAT Math Coach
[email protected]

GMATPad:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GMATPad

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:13 am
Thanked: 46 times
Followed by:13 members
GMAT Score:700

by hemant_rajput » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:54 am
aneesh.kg wrote:The population of a city, which was X in January, increases by a certain amount in February of the same year and becomes Y. Then Y increases by a certain amount in March of the same year and becomes Z. Is the percentage change from X to Y greater than that from Y to Z?
(1) Y - X = Z - Y
(2) X = 150, Z = 300

OA: Later
Source: Self-designed
solution is A
1.
we know difference in population for 2 months is equal. Lets take some arbitrary values, say 100,120,140 for Jan, Feb and Mar resp.

so percentage change from jan to feb is 20% but from feb to mar is 16.67 %.
so sufficient.

2. now we know the population in Jan and Mar but we don't know the population in Feb. It can as low as 151 or as high as 299.

so insufficient.
I'm no expert, just trying to work on my skills. If I've made any mistakes please bear with me.

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:44 pm
Thanked: 5 times

by Sam_hellboy » Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:23 am
IMO A

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:38 pm

by vishalbpr » Tue Feb 12, 2013 3:45 am
Answer should be C...

1. Y-X = Z - Y

So percentage changes would be
(Y-X)/X and (Z - Y)/Y. Though we are aware Y-X = Z-Y but we do not know the X and Y, so it is not possible to get the result.

2. X = 150 and Z = 300, Again Y is not mentioned, so not possible to find the ratio...

After consider both the statements X = 150, Y =225 and Z = 300, now it is possible to find the exact percentage.

Hope I am correct.

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:13 am
Thanked: 46 times
Followed by:13 members
GMAT Score:700

by hemant_rajput » Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:23 am
vishalbpr wrote:Answer should be C...

1. Y-X = Z - Y

So percentage changes would be
(Y-X)/X and (Z - Y)/Y. Though we are aware Y-X = Z-Y but we do not know the X and Y, so it is not possible to get the result.

2. X = 150 and Z = 300, Again Y is not mentioned, so not possible to find the ratio...

After consider both the statements X = 150, Y =225 and Z = 300, now it is possible to find the exact percentage.

Hope I am correct.

you don't need to know the value of x, y and z. for any value of x, y and z, with accordance to statement 1, percentage change of population from x to y will always be greater than change of population from y to z.

Hence 1 is sufficient.
I'm no expert, just trying to work on my skills. If I've made any mistakes please bear with me.

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:38 pm

by vishalbpr » Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:40 am
hemant_rajput wrote:
vishalbpr wrote:Answer should be C...

1. Y-X = Z - Y

So percentage changes would be
(Y-X)/X and (Z - Y)/Y. Though we are aware Y-X = Z-Y but we do not know the X and Y, so it is not possible to get the result.

2. X = 150 and Z = 300, Again Y is not mentioned, so not possible to find the ratio...

After consider both the statements X = 150, Y =225 and Z = 300, now it is possible to find the exact percentage.

Hope I am correct.

you don't need to know the value of x, y and z. for any value of x, y and z, with accordance to statement 1, percentage change of population from x to y will always be greater than change of population from y to z.

Hence 1 is sufficient.
I think you are right... X < Y, so percentage change will be higher in X to Y transition than Y to Z transition...

Thanks for correcting me

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:13 am
Thanked: 46 times
Followed by:13 members
GMAT Score:700

by hemant_rajput » Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:42 am
vishalbpr wrote:
hemant_rajput wrote:
vishalbpr wrote:Answer should be C...

1. Y-X = Z - Y

So percentage changes would be
(Y-X)/X and (Z - Y)/Y. Though we are aware Y-X = Z-Y but we do not know the X and Y, so it is not possible to get the result.

2. X = 150 and Z = 300, Again Y is not mentioned, so not possible to find the ratio...

After consider both the statements X = 150, Y =225 and Z = 300, now it is possible to find the exact percentage.

Hope I am correct.

you don't need to know the value of x, y and z. for any value of x, y and z, with accordance to statement 1, percentage change of population from x to y will always be greater than change of population from y to z.

Hence 1 is sufficient.
I think you are right... X < Y, so percentage change will be higher in X to Y transition than Y to Z transition...

Thanks for correcting me
No problem; sometime in hurry we skip things which is conspicuous to us. I think, In the end that's, which make all the differences.


cheers,
Hemant
I'm no expert, just trying to work on my skills. If I've made any mistakes please bear with me.

User avatar
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:02 am

by AJP » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:17 am
Y-X=Z-Y
Y-150=300-Y
Y=225
Percentage increase from January to February is 75*100/150 = 50 o/o
percentage increase from February to March is 75*100/225 = 33.33 o/o
So increase o/o from January to February is more than from February to March.

i think my answer is correct

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:45 am
aneesh.kg wrote:The population of a city, which was X in January, increases by a certain amount in February of the same year and becomes Y. Then Y increases by a certain amount in March of the same year and becomes Z. Is the percentage change from X to Y greater than that from Y to Z?
(1) Y - X = Z - Y
(2) X = 150, Z = 300
Target question: Is the percentage change from X to Y greater than that from Y to Z?

Given: X < Y < Z

Required formula: % increase = 100(new - original)/original

Statement 1: Y - X = Z - Y
Let I = Y - X = Z - Y
So, the % increase from X to Y = 100(Y-X)/X = 100I/X
The % increase from Y to Z = 100(Z-Y)/Y = 100I/Y

IMPORTANT: since X < Y, we know that 100I/X > 100I/Y
In other words, the percentage change from X to Y is greater than that from Y to Z.
Since we can answer the target question with certainty, statement 1 is SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: X = 150, Z = 300
There are several cases that meet this condition. Here are two:
Case a: X=150, Y=299, Z=300, in which case the percentage change from X to Y is greater than that from Y to Z?
Case b: X=150, Y=151, Z=300, in which case the percentage change from X to Y is not greater than that from Y to Z?
Since we cannot answer the target question with certainty, statement 2 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Answer = A

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image

Legendary Member
Posts: 518
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 8:25 pm
Thanked: 10 times

by nikhilgmat31 » Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:18 am
answer is A. -- Major point to identify in question is that changes In both months is different.

But if it is given that values increased by same amount then statement 2 is also sufficient.

150 -> 225
225 -> 300

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 3991
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:28 am
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Thanked: 19 times
Followed by:37 members

by Max@Math Revolution » Fri Sep 04, 2015 3:04 am
Forget conventional ways of solving math questions. In DS, Variable approach is the easiest and quickest way to find the answer without actually solving the problem. Remember equal number of variables and equations ensures a solution.


The population of a city, which was X in January, increases by a certain amount in February of the same year and becomes Y. Then Y increases by a certain amount in March of the same year and becomes Z. Is the percentage change from X to Y greater than that from Y to Z?
(1) Y - X = Z - Y
(2) X = 150, Z = 300

Transforming the original condition and the question, we have percentage change =(After-Before)*100/Before.

Since the question is essentially (Y-X)*100/X>(Z-Y)*100/Y, in case of (1) substituting Y-X=Z-Y and multiplying 100 to both sides gives us 1/X>1/Y?, in other words if Y>X?. Since the population increases by a certain amount, the answer is yes and therefore it is sufficient.
The answer is A.

If you know our own innovative logics to find the answer, you don't need to actually solve the problem.
www.mathrevolution.com
l The one-and-only World's First Variable Approach for DS and IVY Approach for PS that allow anyone to easily solve GMAT math questions.

l The easy-to-use solutions. Math skills are totally irrelevant. Forget conventional ways of solving math questions.

l The most effective time management for GMAT math to date allowing you to solve 37 questions with 10 minutes to spare

l Hitting a score of 45 is very easy and points and 49-51 is also doable.

l Unlimited Access to over 120 free video lessons at https://www.mathrevolution.com/gmat/lesson

l Our advertising video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Fki3_2vO8