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percent

by [email protected] » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:33 am
14. Mr. Kramer, the losing candidate in a two-candidate election, received 942,568 votes, which was exactly 40 percent of all the votes cast. Approximately what percent of the remaining votes would he need to have received in order to have won at least 50 percent of all the votes cast?
(A) 10%
(B) 12%
(C) 15%
(D) 17%
(E) 20%

D

is there an easy way to do this problem? [/spoiler]
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by acecoolan » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:11 am
The fastest way I could think of is Approximation

942,568 ...approx => 950,000 = 40% of Total

Again I prefer scaling down the numbers so rather than 950,000, just work with 950f

950 = 40% of X -> X = 2375 ...approx 2400

Hence 50% of X = 1200
To get to 50%, candidate requires 1200 - 950 = 250

So 250 is what % of remaining votes (remaining votes = 2400 - 950)

250/1450 * 100 = 17% approx

Hence D)

Hope this helps.

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Re: percent

by Ian Stewart » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:40 am
[email protected] wrote:14. Mr. Kramer, the losing candidate in a two-candidate election, received 942,568 votes, which was exactly 40 percent of all the votes cast. Approximately what percent of the remaining votes would he need to have received in order to have won at least 50 percent of all the votes cast?
(A) 10%
(B) 12%
(C) 15%
(D) 17%
(E) 20%

D

is there an easy way to do this problem? [/spoiler]
The number 942,568 is irrelevant to the problem. 60% of people didn't vote for Kramer; Kramer needed to get 1 out of 6 of these people to vote for him to reach 50% of all the votes. 1/6 ~ 17%.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

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Re: percent

by acecoolan » Sat Dec 27, 2008 6:23 pm
Ian Stewart wrote:
The number 942,568 is irrelevant to the problem. 60% of people didn't vote for Kramer; Kramer needed to get 1 out of 6 of these people to vote for him to reach 50% of all the votes. 1/6 ~ 17%.
Wow ...thanks Ian.
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Re: percent

by vittalgmat » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:54 pm
Ian Stewart wrote:
[email protected] wrote:14. Mr. Kramer, the losing candidate in a two-candidate election, received 942,568 votes, which was exactly 40 percent of all the votes cast. Approximately what percent of the remaining votes would he need to have received in order to have won at least 50 percent of all the votes cast?
(A) 10%
(B) 12%
(C) 15%
(D) 17%
(E) 20%

D

is there an easy way to do this problem? [/spoiler]
The number 942,568 is irrelevant to the problem. 60% of people didn't vote for Kramer; Kramer needed to get 1 out of 6 of these people to vote for him to reach 50% of all the votes. 1/6 ~ 17%.
This is surely a WOW!!! I never saw it this way..
thanks Ian.
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