A Problem with the question

This topic has expert replies
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:21 am

A Problem with the question

by TeddyBonham » Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:37 am
in a garden 1/3 of the purple flowers equals to 1/6 of the total number of flowers. 1/4 of the blue flowers equals to 1/7 of the total number of flowers.
what is the ratio between the purple flowers and the blue ones?

isn't it a problem that half are purple and more than half are blue? that means that there must be some blue purple flowers and that's not indicated as a possibility. the question implies that blue is only blue, and purple is only purple.
Source: — Problem Solving |

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 » Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:43 am
TeddyBonham wrote:in a garden 1/3 of the purple flowers equals to 1/6 of the total number of flowers. 1/4 of the blue flowers equals to 1/7 of the total number of flowers.
what is the ratio between the purple flowers and the blue ones?

isn't it a problem that half are purple and more than half are blue? that means that there must be some blue purple flowers and that's not indicated as a possibility. the question implies that blue is only blue, and purple is only purple.
1/3 of the purple flowers equals to 1/6 of the total number of flowers.
P/3 = T/6.
P = (1/2)T.

1/4 of the blue flowers equals to 1/7 of the total number of flowers.
B/4 = T/7.
B = (4/7)T.

Implication:
The purple flowers constitute half of the total, while the blue flowers constitute MORE THAN HALF of the total.
Not possible, unless 1/14 of the blue flowers are also purple.

The problem is flawed.
What is the source?
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

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm
Thanked: 1443 times
Followed by:247 members

by ceilidh.erickson » Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:40 pm
You're right - this question is nonsense. Please always post the source of the question, especially if you think it's flawed! That way you'll help other students to avoid flawed material.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:21 am

by TeddyBonham » Sat Mar 28, 2015 3:59 pm
i don't know the source. my sister gave it to me. thank you anyway