Six shipments of machine parts were shipped from a factory o

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Six shipments of machine parts were shipped from a factory on two trucks, with each shipment entirely on one of the trucks. Each shipment was labeled either S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, or S6. The table shows the value of each shipment as a fraction of the total value of the six shipments. If the shipments on the first truck had a value greater than 1/2 of the total value of the six shipments, was S3 shipped on the first truck?

(1) S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck.
(2) S1 and S6 were shipped on the second truck.

OA B

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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue May 07, 2019 1:56 pm

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BTGmoderatorDC wrote:Image


Six shipments of machine parts were shipped from a factory on two trucks, with each shipment entirely on one of the trucks. Each shipment was labeled either S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, or S6. The table shows the value of each shipment as a fraction of the total value of the six shipments. If the shipments on the first truck had a value greater than 1/2 of the total value of the six shipments, was S3 shipped on the first truck?

(1) S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck.
(2) S1 and S6 were shipped on the second truck.

OA B

Source: Official Guide
We might be able to solve this one faster by first converting the fractions to decimals.
S1=0.25
S2=0.2
S3=0.17 (approx)
S4=0.15
S5=0.13 (approx)
S6=0.1

Statement 1: S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck.
First truck has 0.2 + 0.15 = 0.35
Since the first truck holds more than 0.5, S3 may or may not be on that truck. For example, consider these two possible cases:
case a: first truck holds S2, S3 and S4, and second truck holds S1, S5 and S6,
case b: first truck holds S1, S2, and S4, and second truck holds S3, S5 and S6,

Statement 2: S1 and S6 were shipped on the second truck
Second truck has 0.25 + 0.1 = 0.35
Since the first truck holds more than 0.5, the second truck must have less than 0.5
Since S3 = 0.17, S3 cannot be on the second truck, otherwise the second truck would have more than 0.5
Since S3 cannot be on the second truck, we can be certain that it's on the first truck, in which case statement 2 is sufficient.

Answer: B

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BTGmoderatorDC wrote:
Mon May 06, 2019 3:50 pm
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Six shipments of machine parts were shipped from a factory on two trucks, with each shipment entirely on one of the trucks. Each shipment was labeled either S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, or S6. The table shows the value of each shipment as a fraction of the total value of the six shipments. If the shipments on the first truck had a value greater than 1/2 of the total value of the six shipments, was S3 shipped on the first truck?

(1) S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck.
(2) S1 and S6 were shipped on the second truck.

OA B

Source: Official Guide
Solution:

Question Stem Analysis:


We need to determine whether S3 was shipped on the first truck, given that the shipments on the first truck had a value greater than 1/2 of the total value of the six shipments.

Statement One Alone:

Even though we know S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck, we can’t determine whether S3 was shipped on the first truck since it might or might be shipped on the first truck. For example, S2, S3, and S4 could be on truck one (notice that 1/5 + 1/6 + 3/20 = 31/60 > 1/2) and the other three shipments were on truck two. In this case, S3 was on truck one. However, S1, S2, and S4 could be on truck one (notice that 1/4 + 1/5 + 1/6 = 37/60 > 1/2) and the other three shipments (which includes S3) were on truck two. In this case, S3 was not on truck one. Statement one alone is not sufficient.

Statement Two Alone:

Knowing S1 and S6 were shipped on the second truck is sufficient to determine that S3 must be shipped on the first truck. That is because if S3 were shipped on the second truck, then the second truck would have to have 1/4 + 1/10 + 1/6 = 31/60 of the total value of all 6 shipments. In other words, the second truck would have more than 1/2 of the total value of all 6 shipments. However, we are given that it’s the first truck that had more than 1/2 of the total value of all 6 shipments. This means S3 couldn’t be on truck two, so it must be on truck one. Statement two alone is sufficient.

Answer: B

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