A department manager distributed a number of pens, pencils and pads with each staff receiving x pens, y pencils and z pads. How many staffs were in the department?
(a)The number of pens/pencils & pads that each staff received were in the ration of 2:3:4, respectively.
(b) The manager distributed a total of 18 pens, 27 pencils and 36 pads.
E
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mschling52
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I agree with E for this one.
Statement (1) tells us the ratio of pens, pencils, and pads that each staff member received, but there is no way to tell how many staff members there actually are.
Statement (2) tells us that 18 pens, 27 pencils, and 36 pads were distribued. Note that the overall total is in the ratio of 2 pens:3 pencils:4pads mentioned in Statement (1). However, there is still no way to know how many staff members there are just by knowing the total number of pens/pencils/pads distributed.
Combining (1) & (2) we know the ratio of pens:pencils:pads for each staff member and the total distributed among all staff, but we still cannot say for sure how many staff members there are. We do not know how many pens/pencils/pads were given to each staff member...only the ratio in which they were distributed. There are several possibilities that would satisfy (1) and (2)...for example,
2 pens/3 pencils/4 pads for each staff member, 9 staff members total = 18 pens, 27 pencils, 36 pads
OR
6 pens/9 pencils/12 pads for each staff member, 3 staff members total = 18 pens, 27 pencils, 36 pads
and other examples would work as well. There could even be only 1 staff member who gets all 18 pens, 27 pencils, and 36 pads.
Statement (1) tells us the ratio of pens, pencils, and pads that each staff member received, but there is no way to tell how many staff members there actually are.
Statement (2) tells us that 18 pens, 27 pencils, and 36 pads were distribued. Note that the overall total is in the ratio of 2 pens:3 pencils:4pads mentioned in Statement (1). However, there is still no way to know how many staff members there are just by knowing the total number of pens/pencils/pads distributed.
Combining (1) & (2) we know the ratio of pens:pencils:pads for each staff member and the total distributed among all staff, but we still cannot say for sure how many staff members there are. We do not know how many pens/pencils/pads were given to each staff member...only the ratio in which they were distributed. There are several possibilities that would satisfy (1) and (2)...for example,
2 pens/3 pencils/4 pads for each staff member, 9 staff members total = 18 pens, 27 pencils, 36 pads
OR
6 pens/9 pencils/12 pads for each staff member, 3 staff members total = 18 pens, 27 pencils, 36 pads
and other examples would work as well. There could even be only 1 staff member who gets all 18 pens, 27 pencils, and 36 pads.
