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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Race problem

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:47 pm
Thanked: 1 times
by roy_priya » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:41 pm
For a certain race, 3 teams were allowed to enter 3 members each. A team earned 6-n points whenever one of its members finished in nth place, where 1 ≤ n ≤ 5. There were no ties, disqualifications, or withdrawals. If no teams earned more than 6 points, what is the least possible score a team could have earned?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

My answer is B. Could not find the OA. Please let me know if you get the same.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Problem Solving |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:59 am
Thanked: 1 times

by cris » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:55 pm
I think the answer is D) 3.

Here is why: 1st team gets 6 points (with 2 racers), 2nd team gets 6 points (with 2 racers)....so the 3rd team must get 3 (with one racer)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3225
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:40 pmFollowed by: 614 members
Location: Toronto
Thanked: 1710 times
GMAT Score:800

Re: Race problem

by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:43 pm
roy_priya wrote:For a certain race, 3 teams were allowed to enter 3 members each. A team earned 6-n points whenever one of its members finished in nth place, where 1 ≤ n ≤ 5. There were no ties, disqualifications, or withdrawals. If no teams earned more than 6 points, what is the least possible score a team could have earned?

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

My answer is B. Could not find the OA. Please let me know if you get the same.
Cris is correct, let me explain in a bit more detail.

The points awarded are:

1st - 5
2nd - 4
3rd - 3
4th - 2
5th - 1

So, we have a total of 15 points awarded.

We want to minimize the points earned by one of the teams. On GMAT minimization questions, we want to MAXIMIZE everything else.

We know that no team earned MORE than 6 points. So, let's give teams 1 and 2 their maximum total points, 6 each.

Those two teams account for 12/15 points, which means that team 3 earned the remaining 3 points: choose (D).
Image

Stuart Kovinsky | Kaplan GMAT Faculty | Toronto

Kaplan Exclusive: The Official Test Day Experience | Ready to Take a Free Practice Test? | Kaplan/Beat the GMAT Member Discount
BTG100 for $100 off a full course
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 3:38 pm

by Topple » Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:36 am
But there are no ties ???
how can u award six to both teams ??
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 2467
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:14 pmFollowed by: 11 members
Thanked: 331 times

by cramya » Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:22 am
There are no ties. We are saying that the one of the members in the team with the least points awarded finished 3rd with 3 points.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 871
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:48 am
Thanked: 48 times

by stop@800 » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:46 pm
The points are 5 4 3 2 1

so we can have
5+1
4+2
3

or any of various other valid possible arrangements
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 1035
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:56 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 104 times

by scoobydooby » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:45 am
can we follow this approach?

the team that will score the least possible points will have its 3 members getting the last position each, ie all 3 members come 5th. the total points earned would be therefore: 3*1=3 (the points awarded for 5th position is 1)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3225
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:40 pmFollowed by: 614 members
Location: Toronto
Thanked: 1710 times
GMAT Score:800

by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:52 am
scoobydooby wrote:can we follow this approach?

the team that will score the least possible points will have its 3 members getting the last position each, ie all 3 members come 5th. the total points earned would be therefore: 3*1=3 (the points awarded for 5th position is 1)
No, because only 1 person finishes in 5th place and earns 1 point.

There are 9 people total in the race (3 people on each of 3 teams), only the top 5 overall finishers earn points.

Also, under your method, one or both of the other two teams would earn more than 6 points, which breaks the rules we're given.
Image

Stuart Kovinsky | Kaplan GMAT Faculty | Toronto

Kaplan Exclusive: The Official Test Day Experience | Ready to Take a Free Practice Test? | Kaplan/Beat the GMAT Member Discount
BTG100 for $100 off a full course
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:38 pm

by sharkss » Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:35 pm
Why can't one team have its members get 7th, 8th and 9th place and therefore get 0 points?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:38 pm

by sharkss » Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:44 pm
sharkss wrote:Why can't one team have its members get 7th, 8th and 9th place and therefore get 0 points?
NVM - just figured out why --- because if one team scores 0,0,0 points , then one of the other two teams end up with more than 6 points...which is not allowed =D
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:38 pm

by sharkss » Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:45 pm
sharkss wrote:
sharkss wrote:Why can't one team have its members get 7th, 8th and 9th place and therefore get 0 points?
NVM - just figured out why --- because if one team scores 0,0,0 points , then one of the other two teams end up with more than 6 points...which is not allowed =D
I love this website !!! makes you really figure out stuff you'd otherwise overlook !!!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1