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 →

Runners

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 amFollowed by: 43 members
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
GMAT Score:640
by GmatKiss » Sat May 05, 2012 8:09 pm
Runners V, W, X, Y and Z are competing in the Bayville local triathlon. How many different ways are there for X to complete the race ahead of Y?
(A) 5
(B) 10
(C) 30
(D) 60
(E) 120
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1239
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:25 amFollowed by: 26 members
Thanked: 233 times
GMAT Score:680

by sam2304 » Sat May 05, 2012 8:28 pm
X can take 1st/2nd/3rd and 4th position respectively. Other players have the option to come ahead of X but Y should always come behind X.

X in first position with Y anywhere behind X
X - - - - => 4!

X in 2nd pos with any one of the three runners other than Y in 1st pos and the rest behind X
3 X - - - => 3.1.3!

X in 3rd pos with any one of the three runners other than Y in 1st pos and 2nd pos the rest behind X
3 2 X - - => 6.1.2!

X in 4th pos with Y behind X
3 2 1 X 1 => 6

24 + 18 + 12 + 6 = 60

IMO D.
Getting defeated is just a temporary notion, giving it up is what makes it permanent.
https://gmatandbeyond.blogspot.in/
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 385
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:40 amFollowed by: 29 members
Location: Pune, India
Thanked: 186 times

by aneesh.kg » Sat May 05, 2012 10:29 pm
Simplest method:

These five people could have been arranged in 5! = 120 ways had there been no condition on them.
The question imposes a condition that X has to be before Y.

Come to think of it, in all the 120 arrangements X will be ahead of Y in 50% of the ways and Y will be ahead of X in 50% ways. There is no bias for any of them, it has to be half-half.

So, X will be ahead of Y in (1/2)*(120) = 60 ways.

[spoiler](D)[/spoiler] is the answer.
Aneesh Bangia
GMAT Math Coach
[email protected]

GMATPad:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GMATPad
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1