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

Redeem

Ages

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 am
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
Followed by:43 members
GMAT Score:640

Ages

by GmatKiss » Fri May 18, 2012 11:07 am
Joan, Kylie, Lillian, and Miriam all celebrate their birthdays today. Joan is 2 years younger than Kylie, Kylie is 3 years older than Lillian, and Miriam is one year older than Joan. Which of the following could be the combined age of all four women today?

· 51
· 52
· 53
· 54
· 55
Top
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 » Fri May 18, 2012 11:55 am
GmatKiss wrote:Joan, Kylie, Lillian, and Miriam all celebrate their birthdays today. Joan is 2 years younger than Kylie, Kylie is 3 years older than Lillian, and Miriam is one year older than Joan. Which of the following could be the combined age of all four women today?

· 51
· 52
· 53
· 54
· 55
Always look at the answer choices.
52/4 = 13.
Thus, the average age must be around 13.

Let J=13.
Then, according to the conditions given, K=15, L=12, and M=14.
Sum = 13+15+12+14 = 54.

The correct answer is D.
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
Top
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:36 am
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:620

by heymayank08 » Sat May 19, 2012 11:18 pm
mitch i didnt understand the
52/4 step of yours...
cn u pls explain...
Top
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:52 pm
GMAT Score:580

by darontan » Sat May 19, 2012 11:52 pm
from the question, we know that the age is integer

J=K-2
K=L+3
M=J+1

Sum = J+K+L+M = (K-2) + K + (K-3) + ((K-2)+1) = 4K-6

From the answer choices, K is integer only when Sum is 54 (D)
4K-6=54, K=15
Top

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3835
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:00 pm
Location: Milpitas, CA
Thanked: 1854 times
Followed by:523 members
GMAT Score:770

by Anurag@Gurome » Sun May 20, 2012 8:20 am
GmatKiss wrote:Joan, Kylie, Lillian, and Miriam all celebrate their birthdays today. Joan is 2 years younger than Kylie, Kylie is 3 years older than Lillian, and Miriam is one year older than Joan. Which of the following could be the combined age of all four women today?

· 51
· 52
· 53
· 54
· 55
Say, age of Kylie is n years.
Age of Joan is (n - 2) years
Age of Lilian is (n - 3) years
Age of Miriam is (n - 1) years

Hence, total age = (4n - 6) years

Hence, the total age must be 6 less than an integer multiple of 4, that is 2 less than an integer multiple of 4. Only such option is 54.

Hence, the correct answer is D.
Anurag Mairal, Ph.D., MBA
GMAT Expert, Admissions and Career Guidance
Gurome, Inc.
1-800-566-4043 (USA)

Join Our Facebook Groups
GMAT with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/272466352793633/
Admissions with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/461459690536574/
Career Advising with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/360435787349781/
Top
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 » Sun May 20, 2012 8:46 am
heymayank08 wrote:mitch i didnt understand the
52/4 step of yours...
cn u pls explain...
The answers choices -- which represent the sum of the 4 ages -- are all around 52.
The problem describes 4 ages that seem relatively close to each other.
Thus, the average age must be close to 52/4 = 13.
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
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1