Production Question

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Production Question

by chipbmk » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:41 am
If production on line A increased 5% from 2006 to 2007, and if production on line B increased 10% in the same period, how many units did line A produce in 2006?

1) The two lines combined produced 100,000 units total in 2006.
2) The two lines combined produced 107,500 units total in 2007.

OA: C

Can someone please show me the work for this one. I recognize that it is data sufficiency and completing the work is unnecessary, but I would like to see it worked out.

Thanks!
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

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by GMATBootcamp » Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:29 pm
The question is asking for how many units line A produced in 2006

from stmt1:

A + B = 100,000

Since there is no relation between the variables A and B, we cannot solve for A, insufficient

from stmt2:

1.05A + 1.1B = 107,500

Again, no relation between variables A and B, so we cannot solve for A, insufficient

Looking at both statements together:

We have two equations relating A and B. Looking at both equations you can already see that the two equations are different and can be used to solve for variable A. Both statement together are sufficient to solve the problem, answer is C.

If you want to find the actual numerical answer (even though unnecessary)

I would multiply stmt 1 by 1.1, so:

1.1A + 1.1B = 110,000

Take this statement and subtract stmt 2:

1.1A + 1.1B = 110,000
-1.05A - 1.1B = -107,500

and you get 0.05A = 2,500

Solve for variable A, => A = 50,000
Paul

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