BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
GMATLiveTeach Starts Oct 17
Chris Peckover, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES

Get Ready for GMAT Test Day Faster with Live Online Classes

with Chris Peckover, 100th-Percentile GMAT Scorer

Oct 17 · Chris Peckover
Sat · 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM ET
Oct 20 · Chris Peckover
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Oct 25 · Josh Braslow
Sun · 1:00 to 4:00 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes + 6 months of TTP OnDemand
  • Attend the first class for free
  • Every class is recorded, so you never fall behind
View classes & enroll
Limited seats availableTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeachOnDemand 5 seats left Start anytime
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Target Test Prep EA OnDemand

Self-paced EA prep. Study on your schedule.

Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

165+ EA score guarantee
$05-day trial no automatic billing
Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll Start free 5-day trial
Limited cohort · enrollment openTrial includes full course accessTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

A certain office supply store stocks 2

Expert replies
by BTGmoderatorDC » Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:01 am
A certain office supply store stocks 2 sizes of self-stick notepads, each in 4 colors: Blue, Green, Yellow Or Pink. The store packs the notepads in pacakages that contain either 3 notepads of the same size and the same color or 3 notepads of the same size and of 3 different colors. If the order in which the colors are packed is not considered, how many different packages of the types described above are possible?

A. 6
B. 8
C. 16
D. 24
E. 32

How will i find the correct solution to this? Can some experts help?

OA C
Join the discussion
Source: — Problem Solving |

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:21 am
lheiannie07 wrote:A certain office supply store stocks 2 sizes of self-stick notepads, each in 4 colors: Blue, Green, Yellow Or Pink. The store packs the notepads in packages that contain either 3 notepads of the same size and the same color or 3 notepads of the same size and of 3 different colors. If the order in which the colors are packed is not considered, how many different packages of the types described above are possible?

A. 6
B. 8
C. 16
D. 24
E. 32
There are 2 size options: small and large.
There are 4 color options: blue, green, yellow, and pink.

Case 1: 3 notepads of the same size and of the same color
Number of ways to choose 1 size from 2 choices = 2C1 = 2.
Number of ways to choose 1 color from 4 choices = 4C1 = 4.
To combine these options, we multiply:
2*4 = 8.

Case 2: 3 notepads of the same size and of 3 different colors
Number of ways to choose 1 size from 2 choices = 2C1 = 2.
Number of ways to choose 3 colors from 4 choices = 4C3 = (4*3*2)/(3*2*1) = 4.
To combine these options, we multiply:
2*4 = 8.

Total ways to form a package = 8+8 = 16.

The correct answer is C.
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
Join the discussion

by Scott@TargetTestPrep » Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:19 pm
BTGmoderatorDC wrote:A certain office supply store stocks 2 sizes of self-stick notepads, each in 4 colors: Blue, Green, Yellow Or Pink. The store packs the notepads in pacakages that contain either 3 notepads of the same size and the same color or 3 notepads of the same size and of 3 different colors. If the order in which the colors are packed is not considered, how many different packages of the types described above are possible?

A. 6
B. 8
C. 16
D. 24
E. 32

How will i find the correct solution to this? Can some experts help?

OA C

Let's say the 2 sizes of notepads are small and large. Then, for the small notepads, there are 4 packages of notepads of all the same color (one package for each color) and 4C3 = 4 packages of notepads of three different colors. Thus, for the small notepads, there are a total of 4 + 4 = 8 different packages. Similarly, there are 8 different packages for the large notepads. Thus, there are a total of 8 + 8 = 16 different packages for the 2 sizes of notepads.

Answer: C

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews

ImageImage
Join the discussion

by [email protected] » Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:37 pm
Hi All,

The question is essentially about the Combination Formula and following instructions. However, if you don't realize that, then you can always "brute force" the solution - you just have to draw it all out. We're told that there are 2 sizes of notepads and 4 colors (Blue, Green, Yellow, Prink) of notepads. For organizational purposes, I'm going to refer to the 8 types of pads as:

B = Big blue pad
b = Little blue pad
G = Big green pad
g = LIttle green pad
Etc.

Now, we just need to figure out how many options fit each description:

1st: 3 notepads of the SAME SIZE and SAME COLOR....

BBB
bbb
GGG
ggg
YYY
yyy
PPP
ppp

8 options

2nd: 3 notepads of the SAME SIZE and 3 DIFFERENT COLORS

BGY
BGP
BYP
GYP
bgy
bgp
byp
gyp

8 options

Total options = 8 + 8 = 16

Final Answer: C

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

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:33 am
BTGmoderatorDC wrote:A certain office supply store stocks 2 sizes of self-stick notepads, each in 4 colors: Blue, Green, Yellow Or Pink. The store packs the notepads in pacakages that contain either 3 notepads of the same size and the same color or 3 notepads of the same size and of 3 different colors. If the order in which the colors are packed is not considered, how many different packages of the types described above are possible?

A. 6
B. 8
C. 16
D. 24
E. 32

How will i find the correct solution to this? Can some experts help?

OA C
There are two different cases to consider:
1) All 3 pads the same color
2) The 3 pads are 3 different colors

Case 1: All 3 pads the same color
Take the task of packaging pads and break it into stages.

Stage 1: Select a size
There are 2 possible sizes, so we can complete stage 1 in 2 ways.

Stage 2: Select 1 color (to be applied to all 3 pads)
There are 4 possible colors from which to choose, so we can complete stage 2 in 4 ways.

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP) we can complete the two stages in (2)(4) ways (= 8 ways)


Case 2: The 3 pads are 3 different colors
Take the task of packaging pads and break it into stages.

Stage 1: Select a size
There are 2 possible sizes, so we can complete stage 1 in 2 ways.

Stage 2: Select 3 different colors
There are 4 possible colors, and we must choose 3 of them.
Since the order of the selected colors does not matter, we can use combinations.
We can select 3 colors from 4 colors in 4C3 ways (4 ways), so we can complete stage 2 in 4 ways.

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP) we can complete the two stages in (2)(4) ways (= 8 ways)


So, both cases can be completed in a total of 8 + 8 ways =[spoiler] 16 = C[/spoiler]

--------------------------

Note: the FCP can be used to solve the majority of counting questions on the GMAT. For more information about the FCP, watch our free video: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat-counting?id=775

Then you can try solving the following questions:

EASY
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/what-should- ... 67256.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/counting-pro ... 44302.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/picking-a-5- ... 73110.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 57412.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/simple-one-t270061.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/mouse-pellets-t274303.html


MEDIUM
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73194.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/arabian-hors ... 50703.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/sub-sets-pro ... 73337.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73180.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/digits-numbers-t270127.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/doubt-on-sep ... 71047.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 67079.html


DIFFICULT
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/wonderful-p- ... 71001.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/ps-counting-t273659.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 73915.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/please-solve ... 71499.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/no-two-ladie ... 75661.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/laniera-s-co ... 15764.html

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Join the discussion