Problem Solving

A batch of cookies was divided among three tins: 2/3 of all the cookies were places in either the blue tin or the green tin, and the rest were placed in the red tin. if 1/4 of all the cookies were placed in the blue tin, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin?

A: 5/12
B:4/9
C:5/9
D:5/7
E:7/9

OA:C

Let’s say there are 12 cookies.

¼ are in the blue tin. So the blue tin has 3.
1/3 are in the red tin. So the red tin has 4.
2/3 – 1/4 = 5/12 are in the green tin. So 5/12 * 12 = 5.

Blue = 3
Red = 4
Green = 5

Now, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin

X(4+5) = 5
X= 5/9

dmateer25 wrote:Let’s say there are 12 cookies.

¼ are in the blue tin. So the blue tin has 3.
1/3 are in the red tin. So the red tin has 4.
2/3 – 1/4 = 5/12 are in the green tin. So 5/12 * 12 = 5.

Blue = 3
Red = 4
Green = 5

Now, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin

X(4+5) = 5
X= 5/9

Perfect! I arrived at the answer the same way.

figs wrote:A batch of cookies was divided among three tins: 2/3 of all the cookies were places in either the blue tin or the green tin, and the rest were placed in the red tin. if 1/4 of all the cookies were placed in the blue tin, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin?

A: 5/12
B:4/9
C:5/9
D:5/7
E:7/9

OA:C

Easiet way to solve such problems is pick a number. Notice the denominators like 3, 4.

Let's choose n: number of cookies = 12
b:blue tin
g: green tin
r: red tin

b+g = 2/3 * (12) = 8 cookies
remaining = 12-8 = 4 cookies

r = 1/3 * (12) = 4 cookies (same as remaining cookies)

b = 1/4 * (12) = 3 cookies => g = 5 cookies

x: fraction
(g+r) * x = g
9 * x = 5 => x = 5/9

Hope that helps.

Using ratios is the quickest:

b + g = 2/3 of total
r = 1/3 of total

b = 1/4,

1/4 + g = 2/3
g = 5/12

5/12 + 1/3 = 9/12 ( which is green and red tin)

So to find ratio of green in that

(5/12)/(9/12) = 5/9

This is prolly quickest

dmateer25 wrote:Let�s say there are 12 cookies.

� are in the blue tin. So the blue tin has 3.
1/3 are in the red tin. So the red tin has 4.
2/3 � 1/4 = 5/12 are in the green tin. So 5/12 * 12 = 5.

Blue = 3
Red = 4
Green = 5

Now, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin

X(4+5) = 5
X= 5/9

yeah, i used the exact same method and numbers. it's was a little difficult to interpret at first, but turned out to be quite simple

Hi Figs

This is a old discussion and I hope that you check this thread and help me understand one problem.

I saw this question about Tins in Kaplan Gmat 800, but I was confused with the question because the question read something like this

"what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the other tins were placed in the Green Tin/"

Reading this i tried to do (no. of cookies in green tin)/(no. of cookies in blue Tin + No of cookies in red tin). So my answer was wrong. Was this the same question rephrased by you or you interpreted that way. help to understand how to interprete it the way you did.

crowolta wrote:Hi Figs

This is a old discussion and I hope that you check this thread and help me understand one problem.

I saw this question about Tins in Kaplan Gmat 800, but I was confused with the question because the question read something like this

"what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the other tins were placed in the Green Tin/"

Reading this i tried to do (no. of cookies in green tin)/(no. of cookies in blue Tin + No of cookies in red tin). So my answer was wrong. Was this the same question rephrased by you or you interpreted that way. help to understand how to interprete it the way you did.

I was searching for the answer to this question and stumbled upon this post. I had the same doubt as you. I believe the question is incorrectly worded in the Kaplan GMAT 800 [2007-2008] edition.

I think following is correct question.

"A batch of cookies was divided among three tins: 2/3 of all the cookies were places in either the blue tin or the green tin, and the rest were placed in the red tin. if 1/4 of all the cookies were placed in the blue tin, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in the green or red tins were placed in the green tin? "

So here what we are asked is , G/(G+R) and answer is C:5/9


This problem is mistakenly printed in many Kaplan books. I have Kaplan GMAT Advanced book 2009-2010 edition, in that the question is written as follows

"A batch of cookies was divided among three tins: 2/3 of all the cookies were places in either the blue tin or the green tin, and the rest were placed in the red tin. if 1/4 of all the cookies were placed in the blue tin, what fraction of the cookies that were placed in other tins were placed in the green tin?"

Here it implies that we are asked G/(B+R) giving answer as D: 5/7