The company at which Mark is employed has 80 employees, each of whom has a different salary. Mark's salary of $43,700 is the second-highest salary in the first quartile of the 80 salaries. If the company were to hire 8 new employees at salaries that are less than the lowest of the 80 salaries, what would Mark's salary be with respect to the quartiles of the 88 salaries at the company, assuming no other changes in the salaries?
A. The fourth-highest salary in the first quartile
B. The highest salary in the first quartile
C. The second-lowest salary in the second quartile
D. The third-lowest salary in the second quartile
E. The fifth-lowest salary in the second quartile
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- talaangoshtari
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Quartiles are not tested on the GMAT.talaangoshtari wrote:The company at which Mark is employed has 80 employees, each of whom has a different salary. Mark's salary of $43,700 is the second-highest salary in the first quartile of the 80 salaries. If the company were to hire 8 new employees at salaries that are less than the lowest of the 80 salaries, what would Mark's salary be with respect to the quartiles of the 88 salaries at the company, assuming no other changes in the salaries?
A. The fourth-highest salary in the first quartile
B. The highest salary in the first quartile
C. The second-lowest salary in the second quartile
D. The third-lowest salary in the second quartile
E. The fifth-lowest salary in the second quartile
Is this meant to be a GRE question? Quartiles ARE tested on the GRE.
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The current position of Mark's salry is 19th among 80 salaries as it is second largest in first quartile.
If 8 employees are hired at salaries lesser than all 80, then each quartile will now have 22 salaries (88/4)
The first quartile will have 8 new additions and total 22 salaries. So out of the previous 20 ones 6 will have to move upwards towards second quartile to make the total 22 (8+14). Since Mark's salry was second last in first qaurtle, it will now shift to fifth in the second quartile.
If 8 employees are hired at salaries lesser than all 80, then each quartile will now have 22 salaries (88/4)
The first quartile will have 8 new additions and total 22 salaries. So out of the previous 20 ones 6 will have to move upwards towards second quartile to make the total 22 (8+14). Since Mark's salry was second last in first qaurtle, it will now shift to fifth in the second quartile.
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Solution:talaangoshtari wrote: ↑Tue Jun 09, 2015 10:02 amThe company at which Mark is employed has 80 employees, each of whom has a different salary. Mark's salary of $43,700 is the second-highest salary in the first quartile of the 80 salaries. If the company were to hire 8 new employees at salaries that are less than the lowest of the 80 salaries, what would Mark's salary be with respect to the quartiles of the 88 salaries at the company, assuming no other changes in the salaries?
A. The fourth-highest salary in the first quartile
B. The highest salary in the first quartile
C. The second-lowest salary in the second quartile
D. The third-lowest salary in the second quartile
E. The fifth-lowest salary in the second quartile
Since there are 80 employees, each quartile contains 80/4 = 20 employees. In particular, the first quartile contains 20 employees with the lowest salaries. Since Mark’s salary is the second-highest salary in the first quartile, his salary is the 19th lowest salary.
If 8 new employees were hired, each quartile would contain 88/4 = 22 employees. Since all of their salaries would be less than the lowest of the 80 salaries, there would be 8 employees with the lowest salaries, and this would push Mark’s salary to be the 27th lowest salary of the 88 employees, or the fifth lowest salary in the second quartile.
Answer: E
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