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Vaccations

Expert replies
by j_shreyans » Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:52 am
Last year, the five employees of Company X took an average of 16 vacation days each. What was the average number of vacation days taken by the same employees this year?

(1) Three employees had a 50% increase in their number of vacation days, and two employees had a 50% decrease.

(2) Three employees had 10 more vacation days each, and two employees had 5 fewer vacation days each.

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Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by [email protected] » Sun Sep 21, 2014 11:23 am
Hi j_shreyans,

This DS question is based on some "average formula" concepts that can help you to answer this question without doing much work. However, if you're ever a bit unsure about a given Fact, you should TEST IT to be sure.

Here, we're told that there are 5 employees who averaged 16 vacation days last year. This means that 5(16) = 80 total vacation days were taken by these 5 employees. We're asked what the average was for these 5 employees THIS YEAR. Ultimately, the question is asking how many total vacation days were taken THIS YEAR by those same 5 people.

Fact 1: 3 employees had a 50% increase in vacation days and 2 employees had a 50% decrease.

This info seems problematic, since we don't know how many days each person had individually. The +50%/-50% could have a different effect when applied to each person.

Let's TEST Values:
Last year, if all 5 people had 16 vacation days each....
This year:
3 employees had 24 vacation days = 72 days
2 employees had 8 vacation days = 16 days
72 + 16 = 88 total vacation days this year

Last year, If 3 employees (who had +50% this year) had 20 days each and 2 employees (who had -50% this year) had 10 days each...
This year:
3 employees had 30 vacation days = 90 days
2 employees had 5 vacation days = 10 days
90 + 10 = 100 total vacation days this year
Fact 1 is INSUFFICIENT

Fact 2: 3 employees had 10 more days each and 2 employees had 5 fewer days each.

This information allows us to calculate the "net change" in vacation days...

Last year = 80 total vacation days
This year:
3 employees had 10 more days each = +30 vacation days
2 employees had 5 fewer days each = -10 vacation days
80 + 30 - 10 = 100 total vacation days
Fact 2 is SUFFICIENT

Final Answer: B

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by verma.kumarrishikesh » Sun Sep 21, 2014 11:26 am
Dear Shreyans

Group of 5 People have av vacation per person=16, Consider vacation taken by each of them to be as A,B,C,D and E
Now Given
Av.of Vacation =16= (A+B+C+D+E)/5
Or A+B+C+D+E=80 ( Multiplying both sides by 5) so now we know total no of vacation days taken by them is 80.

Now the question is to calculate the new average of vacation this year.
or rephrasing the question we need to know
1- Either any clue about the average this year or
2- Any Clue about the total vacation taken this year

Now examining statement 1
Three employees had a 50% increase in their number of vacation days, and two employees had a 50% decrease.
its giving % increase or decrease over last year but we do not have this information about the actual as on last year so we cannot calculate new value. The statement covers all 5 employee try to confuse through % increase or decrase but please know that % increase or decrease can only be calculated once we have actual for last year.

So 1 Alone is insufficient.

Now examining statement 2

Three employees had 10 more vacation days each, and two employees had 5 fewer vacation days each.
here we get absolute values for increase or decrease about employees vacation this year. so we can calculate new value ot total no of vacation this year hence calculate the average.

for explanation sake i am calculating but this calculation is not required in GMAT only inference is required.

this year total no of days =( A-10)+(B+10)+(C+10)+(D-5)+(E-5)= (A+B+C+D+E)+20=80+20=100
SO new Average is 100/5=20

So Correct answer is B ( As 2 is sufficient 1 is not)
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