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 →

Fractions (/ Factorials?) Problem

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:22 pm
GMAT Score:660
by abduabd » Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:14 am
A friend mine who is also studying for the GMAT posted this problem in a WhatsApp group the other day. I have tried to solve this using all the tricks I know, but have come up stuck. I recognize that the denominator is essentially just consecutive [(n! - (n-3)!], but I cannot get any farther than that.

I have concluded that it cannot be a legitimate GMAT question, but, it is still bugging me that I cannot apply any of the tricks that I have learned so far to solve it.

Any ideas?

Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:17 am
Do you have the answer choices available?

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:22 pm
GMAT Score:660

by abduabd » Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:08 am
Unfortunately, Brent. I don't and neither does he. Does this look like a concept that could be tested on the GMAT, though? Is this something that can be simplified and solved in under two minutes AND without a calculator?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:15 am
I see.

If there were answer choices, it might be possible to find a RANGE that the sum would fall into. With any luck, only one of the answer choices would fall within the calculated range.

Otherwise, I don't see a nice (GMAT-friendly) solution. I might be missing something though. Mitch?

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:20 am
The posted problem seems beyond the scope of the GMAT.
A similar problem that is more GMAT-friendly:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/sum-of-the-f ... 76078.html
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
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:23 am
Here's another one with factorials: https://www.beatthegmat.com/factorial-re ... 81604.html

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:22 pm
GMAT Score:660

by abduabd » Thu Feb 19, 2015 12:06 pm
Thanks, Mitch and Brent. I looked at the problems you linked and I am happy that I was able to solve them.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1