word problem

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 344
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:21 am
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:2 members

word problem

by sud21 » Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:44 am
What is the accurate rate for a certain disease testing?
1). 96% of the positive results are true, and 90% of the negative results are true.
2). 8% of all people for the testing actually suffered the disease.
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3650
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:27 am
Location: India
Thanked: 267 times
Followed by:80 members
GMAT Score:760

by sanju09 » Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:51 pm
sud21 wrote:What is the accurate rate for a certain disease testing?
1). 96% of the positive results are true, and 90% of the negative results are true.
2). 8% of all people for the testing actually suffered the disease.

Although the stem is missing something in introducing the term 'rate' here, but if we travel around the statements that follow, we can realize that the rate is to be expressed in percent.

We should take there are a total 100 results on testing.

(1) If there are a total 100 results on testing, out of which x are positive with 0.96 x as true, and the remaining 100 - x are negative with 0.90 (100 - x) as true, then the accurate rate for the disease testing is 0.96 x + 0.90 (100 - x) = 90 - 0.06 x. With x unknown, this statement is not sufficient.

(2) If 8% of all people for the testing actually suffered the disease, then 8 is equal to the number of positive results that went true, as per our assumption. Here, we've no idea what is the number of negative results that went true, in order to assess the overall rate of accuracy. With the idea unknown, this statement is not sufficient.

Taking the two statements together, we can have 0.96 x = 8, to find x and calculate the accurate rate for the disease testing as equal to 90 - 0.06 x, really accurately and of course uniquely.

[spoiler]Sufficient, hence C[/spoiler]
The mind is everything. What you think you become. -Lord Buddha



Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com

Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by mankey » Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:13 am
Some expert, please help with this.

Regards.

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 934
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:16 am
Location: AAMCHI MUMBAI LOCAL
Thanked: 63 times
Followed by:14 members

by [email protected] » Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:23 am
Well according to me Statement 1 alone can give the answer...

By taking both the cases i.e Tested yes as 100 and Tested No as 100 and then forming a chart...

The overall accuracy comes to around 93%. We do not need B for the answer...

Wat do you have to say guyz!!!


By the way what is the OA???
IT IS TIME TO BEAT THE GMAT

LEARNING, APPLICATION AND TIMING IS THE FACT OF GMAT AND LIFE AS WELL... KEEP PLAYING!!!

Whenever you feel that my post really helped you to learn something new, please press on the 'THANK' button.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:21 am
sud21 wrote:What is the accurate rate for a certain disease testing?
1). 96% of the positive results are true, and 90% of the negative results are true.
2). 8% of all people for the testing actually suffered the disease.
Statement 1 implies that 96% of the positive group and 10% of the negative group got the disease.
Statement 2 implies that 8% of the whole group (positive and negative combined) got the disease.
Not possible: the percentage for the WHOLE group must be BETWEEN 96 and 10.

I would ignore this question.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3