Percents

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:24 am
Location: Hong Kong
Followed by:2 members

Percents

by singhmaharaj » Tue May 06, 2014 1:48 am
Over a certain time period, did the number of shares of stock in Ruth's portfolio increase?

1) Over the time period, the ratio of the number of shares of stock to the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
2) Over the time period, the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
Source: — Problem Solving |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1556
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:18 pm
Thanked: 448 times
Followed by:34 members
GMAT Score:650

by theCodeToGMAT » Tue May 06, 2014 2:08 am
To find: Number of stock increased?

Statement 1:
stock : (stock + bond) = increased
We dont know whether bonds decreased..
INSUFFICIENT
INSUFFICIENT

Statement 2:
stock + bond ==> increased
We dont know what increased
INSUFFICIENT

combining..
stock : (stock + bond) = increased
stock + bonds = increased
since, the denominator has increased.. also the ratio has increased.. this is only possible when numerator has also increased.
So, stocks must have increased.
SUFFICIENT

[spoiler]{C}[/spoiler]
Last edited by theCodeToGMAT on Tue May 06, 2014 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
R A H U L

User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:24 am
Location: Hong Kong
Followed by:2 members

by singhmaharaj » Tue May 06, 2014 2:23 am
The first statement does not say stock : bond ==> increased instead it says stock : (bond + stock) ===> increased

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1556
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:18 pm
Thanked: 448 times
Followed by:34 members
GMAT Score:650

by theCodeToGMAT » Tue May 06, 2014 6:22 pm
singhmaharaj wrote:The first statement does not say stock : bond ==> increased instead it says stock : (bond + stock) ===> increased
Ah sorry!.. Corrected my Solution
R A H U L

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 » Tue May 06, 2014 11:44 pm
singhmaharaj wrote:Over a certain time period, did the number of shares of stock in Ruth's portfolio increase?

1) Over the time period, the ratio of the number of shares of stock to the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
2) Over the time period, the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
Let S=10 and B=10, so that S+B = 10+10 = 20.

Statement 1: Over the time period, the ratio of the number of shares of stock to the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
Original S/(S+B) = 10/(10+10) = 1/2.

Test one case that satisfies statement 2.
Case 1: The value of S+B increases to 30
Since new S/(S+B) must increase to a value greater than 1/2, we get:
(New S)/30 > 1/2
(New S) > 15.
Here, the value of S must INCREASE from 10 to a value greater than 15.

Test one case that doesn't satisfy statement 2.
Case 2: The value of S+B decreases to 10
Since S/(S+B) must increase to a value greater than 1/2, we get:
(New S)/10 > 1/2
(New S) > 5.
Here, the value of S could DECREASE from 10 to 6.
INSUFFICIENT.

Statement 2: Over the time period, the total number of shares of stocks and bonds in Ruth's portfolio increased.
It's possible that the value of S increases to 100, while the value of B decreases to 5.
It's possible that the value of S decreases to 5, while the value of B increases to 100.
INSUFFICIENT.

Statements combined:
As Case 1 illustrates, if the value of S+B increases, then the value of S must also increase.
SUFFICIENT.

The correct answer is C.
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