For what percent of those tested for a certain infection was

This topic has expert replies
Moderator
Posts: 7187
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2017 4:43 pm
Followed by:23 members

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

For what percent of those tested for a certain infection was the test accurate; that is, positive for those who had the infection and negative for those who did not have the infection?

(1) Of those who tested positive for the infection,1/8 did not have the infection.
(2) Of those tested for the infection, 90 percent tested negative.

OA E

Source: GMAT Prep

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm
Thanked: 1443 times
Followed by:247 members

by ceilidh.erickson » Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:21 am

Timer

00:00

Your Answer

A

B

C

D

E

Global Stats

The best way to approach this question is with a DOUBLE SET MATRIX.

There are 2 relevant questions here:
1. Does a person have the infection or not?
2. Have they tested positive or not?

Image

Accurate results will be those who (had it & tested positive) + (didn't have it and tested negative) as a percentage of all people tested.

Image

Now apply the information from the statements one at a time:

(1) Of those who tested positive for the infection,1/8 did not have the infection.
Let x = total of those who tested positive. Convert 1/8 to 12.5%:

Image

This is clearly not sufficient to answer the question.

Note: be sure to erase info from statement 1 before evaluating statement 2.

(2) Of those tested for the infection, 90 percent tested negative.

Image

This tells us nothing about who had / didn't have the infection. Insufficient.

(1) & (2) Together:
We now know that x = 10% of the total:

Image

We still have no information about those who tested negative & didn't have the infection, though. So we do not have sufficient information.

The answer is E.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm
Thanked: 1443 times
Followed by:247 members