One-fifth of the light switches produced by a certain factory are defective. Four-fifths of the defective switches are rejected and 1/20 of the nondefective switches are rejected by mistake. If all the switches not rejected are sold, what percent of the switches sold by the factory are defective?
(A) 4%
(B) 5%
(C) 6.25%
(D) 11%
(E) 16%
Thanks
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is the answer B?
i get that answer this way: given the "simple" fractions as found in question, let's assume the factory produces 100 switches. of the 100 switches, 1/5 (or 20) are defective while 4/5 (80) are not defective. of the 1/5 (or 20) defective switches, 4/5 (or 16) are rejected while 1/5 (or 4) are not (and subsequently sold). of 80 switches that are not defective, 1/20 (or 4) are mistakenly rejected and not sold, leaving 76 switches to be sold. combined, there are 80 switches out of 100 produced that are sold.
the question asks for what fraction of sold switches that are defective. thus, 4 (defective sold switches) out of 80 (total of sold switches) is 1/20, or 5%.
i get that answer this way: given the "simple" fractions as found in question, let's assume the factory produces 100 switches. of the 100 switches, 1/5 (or 20) are defective while 4/5 (80) are not defective. of the 1/5 (or 20) defective switches, 4/5 (or 16) are rejected while 1/5 (or 4) are not (and subsequently sold). of 80 switches that are not defective, 1/20 (or 4) are mistakenly rejected and not sold, leaving 76 switches to be sold. combined, there are 80 switches out of 100 produced that are sold.
the question asks for what fraction of sold switches that are defective. thus, 4 (defective sold switches) out of 80 (total of sold switches) is 1/20, or 5%.
Last edited by bww on Wed May 09, 2007 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SEE ATTACHMENT FOR PROPER GIRD
in these type of questions, always use a grid
that is:
D= defective
R=Rejected
D Not D Total
R
Not R
Total
D= defective
R=Rejected
Say out of 100 total
Out of 100 1/5 are defective= 20
4/5 of those are rejected= 16
We also know 4/5 are not defective=80
1/20 of Not D= 4
Plug into grid
D Not D Total
R 16 4
Not R
Total 20 80 100
Now by simply adding and subtracting from the subtotal, you get all the other numbers
D Not D Total
R 16 4 20
Not R 4 76 80
Total 20 80 100
4/80= 5%
Ans B
in these type of questions, always use a grid
that is:
D= defective
R=Rejected
D Not D Total
R
Not R
Total
D= defective
R=Rejected
Say out of 100 total
Out of 100 1/5 are defective= 20
4/5 of those are rejected= 16
We also know 4/5 are not defective=80
1/20 of Not D= 4
Plug into grid
D Not D Total
R 16 4
Not R
Total 20 80 100
Now by simply adding and subtracting from the subtotal, you get all the other numbers
D Not D Total
R 16 4 20
Not R 4 76 80
Total 20 80 100
4/80= 5%
Ans B
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One-fifth of the light switches produced by a certain factory are defective. Four-fifths of the defective switches are rejected and 1/20 of the nondefective switches are rejected by mistake. If all the switches not rejected are sold, what percent of the switches sold by the factory are defective?
(A) 4%
(B) 5%
(C) 6.25%
(D) 11%
(E) 16%
Total produced = 100
1/5 or 20 defective
4/5 of defective switches = 16
Total Non-defective switches = 100 - 20 = 80
1/20 of total non-defective switches are rejected = 80/20 = 4
So total rejected = 4 + 16 = 20
Total sold = 100 - (4 + 16) = 80
Total sold but defective = 20 - 16 = 4
Hence % = 4/80 * 100 = 5%
(A) 4%
(B) 5%
(C) 6.25%
(D) 11%
(E) 16%
Total produced = 100
1/5 or 20 defective
4/5 of defective switches = 16
Total Non-defective switches = 100 - 20 = 80
1/20 of total non-defective switches are rejected = 80/20 = 4
So total rejected = 4 + 16 = 20
Total sold = 100 - (4 + 16) = 80
Total sold but defective = 20 - 16 = 4
Hence % = 4/80 * 100 = 5%
Hello!
This seems like such an easy problem, but somehow, I am completely missing the caveat!
I am getting an answer of 25% which is clearly wrong!
What am I doing wrong? I have attached the chart I am working off of attached here.
Is it something to do with the 'mistakenly labeled rejected' bit? Or a calculation error that I am overlooking?
So confused!
This seems like such an easy problem, but somehow, I am completely missing the caveat!
I am getting an answer of 25% which is clearly wrong!
What am I doing wrong? I have attached the chart I am working off of attached here.
Is it something to do with the 'mistakenly labeled rejected' bit? Or a calculation error that I am overlooking?
So confused!
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- GMATGuruNY
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Your matrix is perfect, but you're answering the wrong question.nk18967 wrote:Hello!
This seems like such an easy problem, but somehow, I am completely missing the caveat!
I am getting an answer of 25% which is clearly wrong!
What am I doing wrong? I have attached the chart I am working off of attached here.
Is it something to do with the 'mistakenly labeled rejected' bit? Or a calculation error that I am overlooking?
So confused!
Question: If all the switches not rejected are sold, what percent of the switches sold by the factory are defective?
The middle row of your matrix indicates that 80 switches are not rejected and thus are sold.
Of these 80 switches, 4 are defective:
4/80 * 100 = 5%.
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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].
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Your matrix is perfect.nk18967 wrote:Hello!
This seems like such an easy problem, but somehow, I am completely missing the caveat!
I am getting an answer of 25% which is clearly wrong!
What am I doing wrong? I have attached the chart I am working off of attached here.
Is it something to do with the 'mistakenly labeled rejected' bit? Or a calculation error that I am overlooking?
So confused!
You're just not answering the question that is asked.
If all the switches not rejected are sold, what percent of the switches sold by the factory are defective?
According to your matrix, there are 80 not-rejected switches. GREAT.
OF THOSE 80 not-rejected switches, how many are defective? 4 (bottom left box on your matrix)
4/80 = 5%
Cheers,
Brent
OMG! THANK YOU! Haha!
You are right, I was answering the ratio of total defective to total sold!
I spent 20 minutes trying to understand what I was doing wrong before posting!
You are right, I was answering the ratio of total defective to total sold!
I spent 20 minutes trying to understand what I was doing wrong before posting!
GMATGuruNY wrote:Your matrix is perfect, but you're answering the wrong question.nk18967 wrote:Hello!
This seems like such an easy problem, but somehow, I am completely missing the caveat!
I am getting an answer of 25% which is clearly wrong!
What am I doing wrong? I have attached the chart I am working off of attached here.
Is it something to do with the 'mistakenly labeled rejected' bit? Or a calculation error that I am overlooking?
So confused!
Question: If all the switches not rejected are sold, what percent of the switches sold by the factory are defective?
The middle row of your matrix indicates that 80 switches are not rejected and thus are sold.
Of these 80 switches, 4 are defective:
4/80 * 100 = 5%.
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This happens to me more or less daily! I've learned over time that if I'm really confident in my approach but I'm not getting the wrong answer:nk18967 wrote:OMG! THANK YOU! Haha!
You are right, I was answering the ratio of total defective to total sold!
I spent 20 minutes trying to understand what I was doing wrong before posting!
i) I made an arithmetic mistake somewhere;
ii) I answered the wrong question;
iii) I wrote something down wrong
iv) I'm really wrong, and I'm about to learn something important
To avoid (i), try not to compute and think/solve at the same time. To avoid (ii), write down what you're asked for before starting to solve (e.g. "John's salary in October", "the number of alpacas at the petting zoo on Tuesday"). To avoid (iii) write BIG, CLEAR, and NEAT: no scribbling!