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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Data Sufficiency

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 8:29 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 1 times
by RiyaR » Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:31 am
The third-place finisher of the Allen County hot dog eating contest, in which each contestant was given an equal amount of time to eat as many hot dogs as possible, required an average of 15 seconds to consume each hot dog. How many hot dogs did the winner eat?

(1) The winner consumed 24 more hot dogs than did the third-place finisher.

(2) The winner consumed hot dogs at double the rate of the third-place finisher.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Data Sufficiency |
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2630
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:32 pmFollowed by: 119 members
Location: East Bay all the way
Thanked: 625 times
GMAT Score:780

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:55 am
Let's suppose that the total time allotted to each contestant was 15t seconds. Hence the third-place finisher consumed t hot dogs.

S1 tells us that the winner consumed t + 24 hot dogs. We don't know what t is, however: NOT SUFFICIENT.

S2 tells us that the winner consumed TWICE as many hot dogs as did the third place finisher, for a total of 2t hot dogs. We don't know what t is, however: NOT SUFFICIENT.

S1 + S2 tells us that t + 24 = 2t. Hence t = 24, SUFFICIENT!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:51 am
Hi RiyaR,

Sometimes DS questions can be solved just by "playing around" with the given information and considering the possible outcomes.

Here, we're told that a 3rd place finisher at a contest averages 15 seconds per hot dog eaten. We're asked how MANY hot dogs the WINNER ate.

Fact 1: The winner ate 24 more hot dogs than the 3rd place finisher.

Let's TEST VALUES...
If Time = 60 seconds
3rd place = 4 hotdogs
1st place = 28 hotdogs

If Time = 120 seconds
3rd place = 8 hotdogs
1st place = 32 hotdogs

Fact 1 is INSUFFICIENT

Fact 2: The winner ate hot dogs at DOUBLE the rate of the 3rd place finisher

If Time = 60 seconds
3rd place = 4 hotdogs
1st place = 8 hotdogs

If Time = 120 seconds
3rd place = 8 hotdogs
1st place = 16 hotdogs

Fact 2 is INSUFFICIENT.

Combined, we know:
1st place ate 24 more hot dogs than 3rd place
1st place ate twice as many hot dogs as 3rd place
So for the difference to be 24 and the difference to be double, we have only one option:
3rd place = 24 hotdogs
1st place = 48 hotdogs
Combined, SUFFICIENT

Final Answer: C

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1