If all of the telephone extensions in a certain company must be even

BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:04 am

If all of the telephone extensions in a certain company must be even numbers, and if each of the extensions uses all four of the digits 1, 2, 3, and 6, what is the greatest number of four-digit extensions that the company can have?

(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 12
(D) 16
(E) 24

Answer: C
Source: Official guide

Take the task of arranging the 4 digits and break it into stages.

We’ll begin with the most restrictive stage.

Stage 1: Select the digit in the units position
Since the 4-digit extension must be EVEN, the unit digit must be either 2 or 6
So, we can complete stage 1 in 2 ways

Stage 2: Select the tens digit
There are 3 remaining digits from which to choose, so we can complete this stage in 3 ways.

Stage 3: Select the hundreds digit
There are 2 digits remaining, so we can complete this stage in 2 ways.

Stage 4: Select the thousands digit
There 1 digit remaining, so we can complete this stage in 1 way.

By the Fundamental Counting Principle (FCP), we can complete all 4 stages (and thus create an even extension) in (2)(3)(2)(1) ways (= 12 ways)

Answer: D

Note: the FCP can be used to solve the MAJORITY of counting questions on the GMAT. For more information about the FCP, watch this video: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... /video/775

You can also watch a demonstration of the FCP in action: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat ... /video/776

Then you can try solving the following questions:

EASY
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/what-should- ... 67256.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/counting-pro ... 44302.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/picking-a-5- ... 73110.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 57412.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/simple-one-t270061.html


MEDIUM
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73194.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/arabian-hors ... 50703.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/sub-sets-pro ... 73337.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 73180.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/digits-numbers-t270127.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/doubt-on-sep ... 71047.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinatoric ... 67079.html


DIFFICULT
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/wonderful-p- ... 71001.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation- ... 73915.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/permutation-t122873.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/no-two-ladie ... 75661.html
- https://www.beatthegmat.com/combinations-t123249.html


Cheers,
Brent

BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:04 am

If all of the telephone extensions in a certain company must be even numbers, and if each of the extensions uses all four of the digits 1, 2, 3, and 6, what is the greatest number of four-digit extensions that the company can have?

(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 12
(D) 16
(E) 24

Answer: C
Source: Official guide

NOTE: Always SCAN the answer choices before performing any calculations.
Here, we notice that the answer choices are pretty small, so if we don't come up a full solution, we should consider LISTING AND COUNTING

We get the following extensions:
1236
1326
1362
1632
2136
2316
3126
3162
3216
3612
6132
6312
TOTAL = 12
Answer: C

BTGModeratorVI wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 08, 2020 7:04 am

If all of the telephone extensions in a certain company must be even numbers, and if each of the extensions uses all four of the digits 1, 2, 3, and 6, what is the greatest number of four-digit extensions that the company can have?

(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 12
(D) 16
(E) 24

Answer: C
Source: Official guide

Solution:

Since the last digit of the extension must be even, the last digit can be either 6 or 2. If we let 6 be the last digit, then we have 3! = 6 options for the other 3 digits. If we let 2 be the last digit, we also have 6 options. Therefore, we have a total of 12 options.

Answer: C