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department manager

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by success1111 » Tue May 05, 2009 8:16 pm
A department manager distributed a number of pens, pencils,
and pads among the staff in the department, with each staff
member receiving x pens, y pencils, and z pads. How many
staff members were in the department?

(1) The numbers of pens, pencils, and pads
that each staff member received were in
the retio 2:3:4, respectively.

(2) The manager distributed a total of
18 pens, 27 pencils, and 36 pads.
Trust but verify.
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Re: department manager

by Vemuri » Tue May 05, 2009 9:59 pm
IMO C

Stmt1: Provides only the ratio. Not sufficient
Stmt2: Provides the total number of pens, pencils & pads distributed. Each of the staff may have received 2pens, 3pencils, 4pads (in this case there are 9 staff) or 6pens, 9pencils, 12pads (in this case there are 3 staff) or there may be only 1 staff who received 18pens, 27pencils, 36pads. Information not sufficient.

Combining both the statements, we can determine there are 9 staff.
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Re: department manager

by Uri » Wed May 06, 2009 9:20 am
Vemuri wrote:IMO C

Stmt1: Provides only the ratio. Not sufficient
Stmt2: Provides the total number of pens, pencils & pads distributed. Each of the staff may have received 2pens, 3pencils, 4pads (in this case there are 9 staff) or 6pens, 9pencils, 12pads (in this case there are 3 staff) or there may be only 1 staff who received 18pens, 27pencils, 36pads. Information not sufficient.

Combining both the statements, we can determine there are 9 staff.
why are you ignoring a total of 3 staff members?

My logic:
St 1: We can not determine number with only ratios, except for some special cases. And this is not one of those special cases!

St 2: No of staff can be 9 or any factor of 9, i.e 3 or 1. (See GCM of 18, 27 and 36 is 9). So it is also insufficient.

Combining (1) and (2), we don't get any new information. Whether the toal no. of staff is 1, 3 or 9, the ratio of pen, pencil and pad given to each member will be 2:3:4 So both the statements together are also insufficient. Hence, answer is (E).

Please provide the OA.
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Re: department manager

by success1111 » Wed May 06, 2009 4:38 pm
Uri wrote:
Vemuri wrote:IMO C

Stmt1: Provides only the ratio. Not sufficient
Stmt2: Provides the total number of pens, pencils & pads distributed. Each of the staff may have received 2pens, 3pencils, 4pads (in this case there are 9 staff) or 6pens, 9pencils, 12pads (in this case there are 3 staff) or there may be only 1 staff who received 18pens, 27pencils, 36pads. Information not sufficient.

Combining both the statements, we can determine there are 9 staff.
why are you ignoring a total of 3 staff members?

My logic:
St 1: We can not determine number with only ratios, except for some special cases. And this is not one of those special cases!

St 2: No of staff can be 9 or any factor of 9, i.e 3 or 1. (See GCM of 18, 27 and 36 is 9). So it is also insufficient.

Combining (1) and (2), we don't get any new information. Whether the toal no. of staff is 1, 3 or 9, the ratio of pen, pencil and pad given to each member will be 2:3:4 So both the statements together are also insufficient. Hence, answer is (E).

Please provide the OA.
OA is E.Very tricky question.
Trust but verify.
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by cramya » Wed May 06, 2009 5:02 pm
Together:

2:3:4

18:27:36

3 staff members each getting 6 pens,9 pencils and 12 pads
9 staff members each getting 2 pens,3 pencils and 4 pads

The ratios is maintained in both cases above

Hence e

Well put, Uri!
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Re: department manager

by Vemuri » Wed May 06, 2009 11:32 pm
Uri wrote:why are you ignoring a total of 3 staff members?

True, missed out completely. Thanks for pointing it out.
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by mzalmati » Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:36 am
This is by far the most accurate explanation that i've read for this question.
Uri wrote:
Vemuri wrote:IMO C

Stmt1: Provides only the ratio. Not sufficient
Stmt2: Provides the total number of pens, pencils & pads distributed. Each of the staff may have received 2pens, 3pencils, 4pads (in this case there are 9 staff) or 6pens, 9pencils, 12pads (in this case there are 3 staff) or there may be only 1 staff who received 18pens, 27pencils, 36pads. Information not sufficient.

Combining both the statements, we can determine there are 9 staff.
why are you ignoring a total of 3 staff members?

My logic:
St 1: We can not determine number with only ratios, except for some special cases. And this is not one of those special cases!

St 2: No of staff can be 9 or any factor of 9, i.e 3 or 1. (See GCM of 18, 27 and 36 is 9). So it is also insufficient.

Combining (1) and (2), we don't get any new information. Whether the toal no. of staff is 1, 3 or 9, the ratio of pen, pencil and pad given to each member will be 2:3:4 So both the statements together are also insufficient. Hence, answer is (E).

Please provide the OA.
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