Math Question (DS)

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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Math Question (DS)

by hutch27 » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:26 pm
If an express elevator rose from the ground floor to the top floor of a building in 120 seconds, how many seconds did it take to return to the ground floor?

(1) The distance from the ground floor to the top floor is 1,200 feet.

(2) The ascending speed is 7/8 of the descending speed.

Statement (1) BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (2) by itself is not.
Statement (2) BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question, but statement (1) by itself is not.
Statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, even though NEITHER statement BY ITSELF is sufficient.
EITHER statement BY ITSELF is sufficient to answer the question.
Statements (1) and (2) TAKEN TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question, requiring more data pertaining to the problem.

The answer was given to me including the solution but I still can't seem to understand. If anybody can help break down the explanation for me in lament terms that would be helpful. Thanks!
Last edited by hutch27 on Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Source: — Quantitative Reasoning |

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by neelgandham » Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:03 am
If an express elevator rose from the ground floor to the top floor of a building in 120 seconds, how many seconds did it take to return to the ground floor?

Let the distance traveled by the elevator from ground floor to the top floor be D units and
Let the ascending speed(Speed while traveling from ground floor to top floor) be S1 units/seconds
Let the descending speed(Speed while traveling from top floor to ground floor) be S2 units/seconds
Let the time taken to travel from top floor to ground floor be T2 seconds
The time taken to travel from ground floor to top floor is 120 seconds.

S1 = D/120.
S2 = D/T2.

The question can be rephrased to :If S1 = D/120 and S2 = D/T2, 'What is the value of T2?'
(1) The distance from the ground floor to the top floor is 1,200 feet.
D = 1200 feet.
S2 = 1200/T2. T2 = 1200/S2. Since we don't know the value of S2, we will not be able to find out the value of T2. So, statement I is insufficient to answer the question.
(2) The ascending speed is 7/8 the descending speed.
Assumption in red.
S1 = (7/8)S2
S1 = D/120.
S2 = D/T2.
D/120 = (7/8)*D/T2. T2 = 105 seconds. Statement II is sufficient to answer the question.

IMO B
Last edited by neelgandham on Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by hutch27 » Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:03 pm
I wrote the problem wrong. I edited the original. The mistake was in the second statement i didn't include 7/8

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by neelgandham » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:30 pm
Edited my answer as well.
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