A one meter long wire is to be marked for cutting at interva

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mallika hunsur: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 107; Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:50 am

by mallika hunsur » Tue Feb 10, 2015 5:37 am

Hi All,

Could anyone please take a look at this question and share the analyses..?

Thanks much!!

Best,
Mallika

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Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Tue Feb 10, 2015 5:37 am

DavidG@VeritasPrep: Legendary Member; Posts: 2663; Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:25 amFollowed by: 128 members; Location: Boston, MA; Thanked: 1153 times; GMAT Score:770

by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Feb 10, 2015 6:20 am

First imagine a line with the following cuts:

---1/5---1/3----2/5----3/5----2/3-----4/5-----

Easiest way to find the lengths of those pieces is to find a common denominator. In this case, 15 will do. So let's redraw above like so:

---3/15---5/15----6/15----9/15----10/15-----12/15-----

Longest piece is the one from 6/15 to 9/15. 9/15 - 6/15 = 3/15 = 1/5. Answer is C.

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MartyMurray: Legendary Member; Posts: 2135; Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:26 amFollowed by: 140 members; Location: https://martymurraycoaching.com/; Thanked: 955 times; GMAT Score:800

by MartyMurray » Tue Feb 10, 2015 6:41 am

A one meter long wire is to be marked for cutting at intervals of fifths and thirds. How long is the largest segment of the wire if the wire is cut at the marked intervals? (Source: BellCurves)

A) 1/15

B) 2/15

C) 1/5

D) 4/15

E) 9/15

There is a quick way to do this if you see a couple of things.

The first thing you need to see is that the longest you can have is a 1/5 length, because the wire is getting cut into fifths. So all the answers greater than 1/5 are out. Eliminate D and E.

Now the question is is there ever an entire 1/5.

The next thing you need to see is that 1/5 < 1/3. So the first cut will be at 1/5 and the first 1/3 cut will be past that. So there will be at least one 1/5 length.

So 1/5 is the answer and the problem is done.

Choose C.

Marty Murray
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DavidG@VeritasPrep: Legendary Member; Posts: 2663; Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:25 amFollowed by: 128 members; Location: Boston, MA; Thanked: 1153 times; GMAT Score:770

by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Feb 10, 2015 7:03 am

Note that this question is virtually identical to #226 from the OG:

A straight pipe 1 yard in length was marked off in
fourths and also in thirds. If the pipe was then cut into
separate pieces at each of these markings, which of
the following gives all the different lengths of the
pieces, in fractions of a yard?

(A)1/6 and 1/4 only

(B)1/4 and 1/3 only

(C)1/6 ,1/4 and 1/3

(D)1/12 ,1/6, and 1/4

(E)1/12,1/6, and 1/3

OA D

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MartyMurray: Legendary Member; Posts: 2135; Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 9:26 amFollowed by: 140 members; Location: https://martymurraycoaching.com/; Thanked: 955 times; GMAT Score:800

by MartyMurray » Tue Feb 10, 2015 7:26 am

DavidG@VeritasPrep wrote:Note that this question is virtually identical to #226 from the OG:

A straight pipe 1 yard in length was marked off in
fourths and also in thirds. If the pipe was then cut into
separate pieces at each of these markings, which of
the following gives all the different lengths of the
pieces, in fractions of a yard?

(A)1/6 and 1/4 only

(B)1/4 and 1/3 only

(C)1/6 ,1/4 and 1/3

(D)1/12 ,1/6, and 1/4

(E)1/12,1/6, and 1/3

This one can be done in a way similar to the quick way that works for the other one.

1/4 is less than 1/3. So 1/4 works and anything greater, such as 1/3, does not. Eliminate B, C and E.

A and D remain.

1/4 = 3/12 1/3 = 4/12. So they are 1/12 apart.

A does not include 1/12. So A is out.

Only choice left is D. Click it, and on to the next question.

Marty Murray
Perfect Scoring Tutor With Over a Decade of Experience
MartyMurrayCoaching.com
Contact me at [email protected] for a free consultation.

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mallika hunsur: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 107; Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:50 am

by mallika hunsur » Thu Feb 12, 2015 5:02 am

Wow! That really helps!
Thanks so much Marty and David!!

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