GMAT Set 8 Q7

Hi Abhijit K,

Mitch's explanation for this question is spot-on, so I won't rehash any of that here. Instead, I want to focus on the 'design element' of most GMAT questions.

While the 'math' involved in most Quant questions is usually fairly straight-forward (low-to-mid level Arithmetic, Algebra or Geometry, in most cases), the questions themselves usually involve 3-5 'steps.' The steps themselves are usually not individually all that complex, but you do have to go through them to be sure that you have the correct answer. If you find yourself thinking "oh, the answer is obviously ____, and I don't have to write anything down....", then you might be correct, but there's a decent possibility that you're NOT. That choice - whether to do work on the pad or not - is pivotal to your performance throughout the Test. Your goal should be to do efficient, organized and strategic work on EVERY question - since that's what will help you get a high score and those are skills that Business Schools are looking for in their applicants.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich