PS problem! please help

HI dqure040,

TESTing VALUES (the approach that David used) is a fairly easy way to work through this question. If you want to use an Algebraic approach, then that's fine, but you have to be very careful about what your variables represent. I'm going to give you some help in setting up the 'terms' so that you can reattempt the Algebra on your own...

The number of night workers is related to the number of day workers, but NOT the way that you wrote your equation.

IF...
N = number of night workers
D = number of day workers

N = (4/5)D

Next, you have to create a variable and an equation for the number of boxes loaded per employee.

B = number of boxes loaded

B = number loaded per day worker
(3/4)B = number loaded per night worker

Using these equations and ideas, what would you do next?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi dqure040,

This prompt ultimately asks for the fraction of the TOTAL BOXES that were loaded by the DAY workers. Using the information from the last post...

Total boxes loaded by Day workers = (D)(B)
Total boxes loaded by Night workers = (4/5)(D)(3/4)(B) = (12/20)(D)(B)

Total of ALL boxes = (D)(B) + (12/20)(D)(B) = (32/20)(D)(B)

Fraction loaded by the Day workers = (D)(B)/[(32/20)(D)(B)]

The DBs 'cancel out' and we're left with 1/(32/20) = 20/32 = 5/8

Final Answer: E

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich