Can anyone just tell me how to decode the below into algebraic equation
total number of people in Town X is four times greater than the total number of people in Town Y
if Total no pf ppl in Town X = x
the total number of people in Town Y = y
IMO : x = 5y -- 5 is because the stmt says four time greater than..
Am I wrong in formulating the above equation?
Understanding of Statment
This topic has expert replies
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:15 am
- Location: India
- Thanked: 13 times
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1085
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:33 pm
- Thanked: 158 times
- Followed by:21 members
you must be corrected x=4ygauravgundal wrote:Can anyone just tell me how to decode the below into algebraic equation
total number of people in Town X is four times greater than the total number of people in Town Y
if Total no pf ppl in Town X = x
the total number of people in Town Y = y
IMO : x = 5y -- 5 is because the stmt says four time greater than..
Am I wrong in formulating the above equation?
your confusion comes from word "greater" and its association with the ">" sign like in inequality, right? try rewording: "smaller, older, younger" and you should see that "greater" functions here as relationship only.
Success doesn't come overnight!
- itsmebharat
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:36 am
- Location: gurgaon
- Thanked: 8 times
- Followed by:2 members
total number of people in Town X ( a )
is ( equal )
four times greater than ( 4 )
the total number of people in Town Y ( b )
a=4b
I hope that helps..
e.g.
4 times greater than 9...
what is 4x9?
which then the answer is 36...
is ( equal )
four times greater than ( 4 )
the total number of people in Town Y ( b )
a=4b
I hope that helps..
e.g.
4 times greater than 9...
what is 4x9?
which then the answer is 36...
I am not an Expert, please feel free to suggest if there is an error.
- Brian@VeritasPrep
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:23 pm
- Location: Malibu, CA
- Thanked: 716 times
- Followed by:255 members
- GMAT Score:750
Thanks for bringing this up, Gaurav! This is a tricky statement, for sure, and because of that you'll see the GMAT feature this kind of setup a lot. I see it most frequently in percentage-based problems, such as:
Square A has a side of 1 and Square B has a side of 2. <Note, this question can be asked in two ways>
What percent greater is the area of Square B than the area of Square A?
Now, the area of square A is 1 and of square B is 4. But be careful - "greater than" in an equation means "in addition to" or "plus". So they're really asking:
Area of Square B = Area of Square A + X% (Area of Square A)
4 = 1 + 3(1)
so the area is 300% GREATER THAN the area of square A.
The area of Square B is what percent of the area of Square A?
Here they ask for the "percent of". 4 is 400% of 1, so the answer here is 400%.
_____________________________________________
It's a subtle distinction but extremely important on GMAT questions. In its base form, "greater than" as an addition term is probably best exemplified in an age problem:
Ben is four years older than Jim
would equate to
B = 4 + J
Note the direct tie between words and mathematical operations. "Is" means "=". "Older than" means "In addition to" or "+".
_______________________________________
So...to answer your question, Gaurav - you're right. I'd take an intermediate step just to clarify, though:
The population of Town X is four times greater than the population of Town Y.
X = 4Y + Y
X = 5Y
Had they said: The population of Town X is four times THAT OF Town Y, then we don't have to include addition, and it's just X = 4Y. But that "greater than" begs for an addition problem.
Square A has a side of 1 and Square B has a side of 2. <Note, this question can be asked in two ways>
What percent greater is the area of Square B than the area of Square A?
Now, the area of square A is 1 and of square B is 4. But be careful - "greater than" in an equation means "in addition to" or "plus". So they're really asking:
Area of Square B = Area of Square A + X% (Area of Square A)
4 = 1 + 3(1)
so the area is 300% GREATER THAN the area of square A.
The area of Square B is what percent of the area of Square A?
Here they ask for the "percent of". 4 is 400% of 1, so the answer here is 400%.
_____________________________________________
It's a subtle distinction but extremely important on GMAT questions. In its base form, "greater than" as an addition term is probably best exemplified in an age problem:
Ben is four years older than Jim
would equate to
B = 4 + J
Note the direct tie between words and mathematical operations. "Is" means "=". "Older than" means "In addition to" or "+".
_______________________________________
So...to answer your question, Gaurav - you're right. I'd take an intermediate step just to clarify, though:
The population of Town X is four times greater than the population of Town Y.
X = 4Y + Y
X = 5Y
Had they said: The population of Town X is four times THAT OF Town Y, then we don't have to include addition, and it's just X = 4Y. But that "greater than" begs for an addition problem.
Brian Galvin
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep
Looking for GMAT practice questions? Try out the Veritas Prep Question Bank. Learn More.
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep
Looking for GMAT practice questions? Try out the Veritas Prep Question Bank. Learn More.
- itsmebharat
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 150
- Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:36 am
- Location: gurgaon
- Thanked: 8 times
- Followed by:2 members
Thanks Brian for correcting ..
I am not an Expert, please feel free to suggest if there is an error.