BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Selection

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 876
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:14 am
Thanked: 13 times

Selection

by ketkoag » Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:39 am
A certain company assigns employees to offices in such a way that some of the offices can be
empty and more than one employee can be assigned to an office. In how many ways can the
company assign 3 employees to 2 different offices?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
E. 9

OA: D
I got the right answer by counting all the possible combinations.
please tell me if there is any better way to solve this..
Top
Source: — Problem Solving |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

Re: Selection

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:30 am
ketkoag wrote:A certain company assigns employees to offices in such a way that some of the offices can be
empty and more than one employee can be assigned to an office. In how many ways can the
company assign 3 employees to 2 different offices?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
E. 9

OA: D
I got the right answer by counting all the possible combinations.
please tell me if there is any better way to solve this..
We can break the task into 3 stages and apply the Fundamental Counting Principle.
Stage 1: Place the first employee. Two offices --> 2 ways to place the employee
Stage 2: Place the second employee. Two offices --> 2 ways to place the employee
Stage 3: Place the third employee. Two offices --> 2 ways to place the employee

The total number of ways to accomplish all three stages = 2x2x2 = 8
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 876
Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:14 am
Thanked: 13 times

by ketkoag » Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:38 am
thanks, i think counting is the best way to solve this question.
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
Followed by:1268 members
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:09 pm
ketkoag wrote:thanks, i think counting is the best way to solve this question.
If counting works for you on this problem, that's great. For some problems, counting can be the best/fastest method and test takers should keep this in mind.
At the same time, you need to have some counting techniques in your repertoire when the numbers get too large. For example, this question could have included 8 employees and 5 offices, in which case listing and counting each possibility would be difficult.
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1