Minimum possible range

This topic has expert replies
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:45 am

Minimum possible range

by rohan.tarun » Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:56 am
Three people each took 5 tests. If the ranges of their scores in the 5 practice tests were 17, 28 and 35, what is the minimum possible range in scores of the three test-takers?

A. 17
B. 28
C. 35
D. 45
E. 80

Min possible range. That means the lowest possible difference in total 15 values.

0 0 0 0 17
0 0 0 0 28
0 0 0 0 35

Hey guys, here range means the difference between highest and lowest value. So why is the minimum range not 17-0=17 and 35? Isn't 35 the maximum possible range here?

Thank you.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:05 am
rohan.tarun wrote:Three people each took 5 tests. If the ranges of their scores in the 5 practice tests were 17, 28 and 35, what is the minimum possible range in scores of the three test-takers?

A. 17
B. 28
C. 35
D. 45
E. 80

Min possible range. That means the lowest possible difference in total 15 values.

0 0 0 0 17
0 0 0 0 28
0 0 0 0 35

Hey guys, here range means the difference between highest and lowest value. So why is the minimum range not 17-0=17 and 35? Isn't 35 the maximum possible range here?

Thank you.
The question stem is asking for the range of ALL 15 SCORES.
In your list, the lowest score is 0, while the highest score is 35.
Thus, the range of the 15 scores = highest - lowest = 35-0 = 35.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:45 am

by rohan.tarun » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:10 am
I realized the silly mistake after seeing the reply. Is this a 700+ range question? Thank you so much Brent.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:26 am
Hi rohan.tarun,

The prompt doesn't tell us how these three groups of 5 scores 'relate' to one another - maybe the groups cover three completely different ranges (with no 'overlap' or maybe the groups completely overlap with one another. As such, the minimum possible range MUST be the largest of the three ranges (as that range exists whether the other two ranges are considered or not).

Final Answer: C

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2630
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:32 pm
Location: East Bay all the way
Thanked: 625 times
Followed by:119 members
GMAT Score:780

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Fri Apr 28, 2017 12:10 am
rohan.tarun wrote:I realized the silly mistake after seeing the reply. Is this a 700+ range question? Thank you so much Brent.
It actually might be! I've found that many of the questions that have the lowest % correct are the ones in which there's an easy mistake that *everyone* makes. Obviously hard questions often have a correct rate of around 20% (since people just guess), but these "gotcha!" type questions can be as low as 5-10% correct.