N Students to M Classrooms OG 12 128

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N Students to M Classrooms OG 12 128

by EMAN » Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:06 pm
A school administrator will assign each student in a group of n students to one of m classrooms. If 3 < m < 13 < n, is it possible to assign each of the n students to one of the m classrooms so that each classroom has the same number of students assigned to it?

(1) It is possible to assign each of 3n students to one of m classrooms so that each classroom has the same number of students assigned to it.

(2) It is possible to assign each of 13n students to one of m classrooms so that each classroom has the same number of students assigned to it.

Explanations:

(1) Given that 3n is divisible by m, then n is divisible by m if m = n = 9 (note that 3n = 27 and m = 9, so 3n is divisible by m) and n is not divisible by m if m = 9 and n = 12 (note that 3n = 36 and m = 9m so 3n is divisible by m); NOT SUFFICIENT

Comments: Okay, so according to the problem, n has to be greater than 13, so how the hell can m = n = 9? Couldn't m also be 6 and n be 18. Next they show that if m is 9, n cannot be 12. Well if cannot be 12 if the first place because that is less than 13? Am I missing something here? I am thoroughly confused as I am not a math wiz by any means.

(2) Given that 13n is divisible by m, then 13n = qm, or n/m = q/13, for some integer q. Since 13 is a prime number that divides qm (because 13n = qm) and 13 does not divide m (m < 13), it follows that 13 divides q. Therefore q/13 is an integer and since n/m = q/13, then n / m is an integer. Thus n is divisible by m. SUFFICIENT.

Comments: This one makes a little more sense but if anyone can dumb this explanation down that would also be appreciated. My takeaway here is that since 13 satisfies the criteria of n > 13 and if dividing by m produces an integer, this would be sufficient.

GRRR...!
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

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EDIT

by EMAN » Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:08 pm
EDIT:

Well if cannot be 12 if the first place because that is less than 13?

CORRECTION: Well IT cannot be 12 if the first place because that is less than 13?

SORRY

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by praky_rules » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:38 pm
Try this

1) 3n=mk. 3 is a prime number. either m or k must be divisible by 3. if k is, then n/m is an integer and n students can be divided into m classrooms. But if m is divisible by 3, n/m need not be an integer.

2)13n=mk. 13 is a prime number. either m or k must be divisible by 13. m cannot be divisible by 13 as 3<m<13. so k is divisible by 13 and so n/m is an integer..blah blah

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K Variable

by EMAN » Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:55 pm
Thanks for the follow up. The math makes sense, but can you explain how you are conceptualizing k? Maybe I am thinking about it too concretely by viewing it like 3n has to be divisible by m so m has to be an integer.

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by praky_rules » Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:00 pm
Statement 1 can be restated as 3n is divisible by m. that means 3n can be m or 2m or 3m or say km....[/quote]