MGMAT CAT 3 FDP

rommysingh wrote:Two teams are distributing information booklets. Team A distributes 60% more boxes of booklets than Team B, but each box of Team A’s has 60% fewer booklets than each box of Team B’s. Which of the following could be the total number of booklets distributed by the two groups?
2,000
3,200
4,100
4,800
4,900
OA is C

This REAL WORLD question requires us to find values that are positive INTEGERS.
So, for example, we can't have 1.3 boxes or 12.44 boxes.

Team A distributes 60% more boxes of booklets than Team B
Since we must have positive integers for these values, the SMALLEST possible numbers are as follows:
Team A: 8 boxes
Team B: 5 boxes

Team A has 60% fewer booklets per box than Team B
Since we must have positive integers for these values, the SMALLEST possible numbers are as follows:
Team A: 2 booklets per box
Team B: 5 booklets per box

In this case, the TOTAL number of booklets distributed by EACH TEAM is as follows:
Team A: (8)(2) = 16
Team B: (5)(5) = 25

So, the TOTAL = 16 + 25 = 41

Check the answer choices....nope, 41 is not an option.

Now recognize that multiples of 41 will also work.
For example, if each team sold TWICE as many boxes than they did in our first scenario, then the total would equal 82.
If each team sold 10 times as many boxes than they did in our first scenario, then the total would equal 410.
And so on.

When we scan the answer choices, we see that [spoiler]C (4100)[/spoiler] is a multiple of 41.

Cheers,
Brent

Hi rommysingh

This question can be solved by TESTing VALUES (and involves a Number Property):

We're told that Team A distributes 60% MORE boxes of booklets than Team B, BUT each of Team A's boxes has 60% FEWER booklets than each of Team B's boxes...

If...
Team B = 100 boxes
Team A = 160 boxes

And if....
Team B = 100 pamphlets/box
Team A = 40 pamphlets/box

Under these circumstances...
Team A = 40(160) = 6400 pamphlets
Team B = 100(100) = 10,000 pamphlets
Total = 16,400 pamphlets

Now, this answer (16,400) is NOT among the choices, but notice how it's exactly 4 times Answer C???

If you keep the number of boxes as is and change the number of pamphlets by dividing each number by 4....
Team B = 25 pamphlets/box
Team A = 10 pamphlets/box

Then...
Team A = 10(160) = 1600 pamphlets
Team B = 25(100) = 2500 pamphlets
Total = 4100 pamphlets

Final Answer: C

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