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

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
Live EA class + 6 months of EA OnDemand
  • Expert-led weekly online sessions
  • EA Masterclass access between classes
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

130-point score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

Science Books

Expert replies
by anshulseth » Mon May 11, 2009 11:11 pm
Of the science books in a certain supply room, 50 are on botany, 65 are on zoology, 90 are on physics. 50 are on geology, and 110 are on chemistry. If science books are removed randomly from the supply room, how many must be removed to ensure that 80 of the books removed are on the same science?
(A) 81
(B) 159
(C) 166
(D) 285
(E) 324


OA after few posts.
Please explain the working
Asset
Join the discussion
Source: — Problem Solving |

by agoyal2 » Tue May 12, 2009 12:49 am
Total Books:

Botany: 50
Zoology: 65
geology: 50
physics: 90
chemistry : 110

If the books are removed randomly, following 'could' be a possible outcome of the first 323 draws:


Botany: 50
Zoology: 65
geology: 50
physics: 79
chemistry : 79

The next book would be either Physics or Chemistry making the total number 80. So, Answer is E
Join the discussion

by Pranay » Tue May 12, 2009 1:38 am
agoyal2 wrote:Total Books:

Botany: 50
Zoology: 65
geology: 50
physics: 90
chemistry : 110

If the books are removed randomly, following 'could' be a possible outcome of the first 323 draws:


Botany: 50
Zoology: 65
geology: 50
physics: 79
chemistry : 79

The next book would be either Physics or Chemistry making the total number 80. So, Answer is E
Anshul,

Could you please elaborate the explanation ?

Pranay
Join the discussion

by anshulseth » Tue May 12, 2009 3:52 am
@agoyal2
I didn't get your explanation. Please elaborate.
Asset
Join the discussion

by agoyal2 » Tue May 12, 2009 4:15 am
The question asks how many books must be removed so that the 80 of the books removed are from the same science. So, you are removing books randomly with no selection criteria and you want to know after removing how many books, you will definitely have 80 books of the same subject.

So, when you start looking at the choices and suppose you just remove 81, they could be of botany and zoology. The library does not have 80 books on these subjects. Similarly if you pick say, 284, they could be Botany: 50,
Zoology: 65, geology: 50, physics: 60, chemistry : 59 (or any other combination), still you dont have 80 of the same subject.

Once you withdraw 324 books, you can be absolutely sure that you have 80 books from one subject. This is because there is no combination possible with 324 books where you can avoid putting the 80 in Physics or Chemistry.

Makes sense? I know this is a little confusion. If you still did not get it then I will request some of the experts in this forum to explain a better method of doing it.

Whats the OA?
Join the discussion

by ousek » Tue May 12, 2009 4:18 am
The key-word of the question is "to ensure".

We should consider the most pessimistic case.

I didn't see the solution at a glance, but the process of agoyal2 seems to be the one.

OA?
Join the discussion

by anshulseth » Tue May 12, 2009 7:32 am
I could see some light now.
Thanks agoyal2

OA is indeed E
Asset
Join the discussion

by kanha81 » Thu May 14, 2009 2:56 pm
agoyal2 wrote:The question asks how many books must be removed so that the 80 of the books removed are from the same science. So, you are removing books randomly with no selection criteria and you want to know after removing how many books, you will definitely have 80 books of the same subject.

So, when you start looking at the choices and suppose you just remove 81, they could be of botany and zoology. The library does not have 80 books on these subjects. Similarly if you pick say, 284, they could be Botany: 50,
Zoology: 65, geology: 50, physics: 60, chemistry : 59 (or any other combination), still you dont have 80 of the same subject.

Once you withdraw 324 books, you can be absolutely sure that you have 80 books from one subject. This is because there is no combination possible with 324 books where you can avoid putting the 80 in Physics or Chemistry.

Makes sense? I know this is a little confusion. If you still did not get it then I will request some of the experts in this forum to explain a better method of doing it.

Whats the OA?
agoyal2,
This is a nice explanation, but I still have question about why NOT [D]?
B=50 Z=65 P=90 G=50 C=110

285 randomly drawn, which means that (50+65+80+50+40) = 285 are drawn and as a result we can see that 80 books from one subject like that of Physics.

So this could also be a probable answer!
Want to Beat GMAT.
Always do what you're afraid to do. Whoooop GMAT
Join the discussion