Year Problem

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:20 am

Year Problem

by sanalnnair » Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:15 am
Hi, Can anyone help me to solve this problem

Source- Previous GMAT question


June 25, 1982, fell on a Friday. On which day of the week did June 25, 1987, fall? (Note:
1984 was a leap year.)

A. Sunday
B. Monday
C. Tuesday
D. Wednesday
E. Thursday
Answer: C


I had just seen the trend in days, and found that June 25, 1983 would be Saturday, 84 would be monday as its a leap year
. Similiarly I got the answer as Thursday. But answer given is E.
Source: — Problem Solving |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 659
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:12 am
Thanked: 32 times
Followed by:3 members

by Gurpinder » Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:37 am
This doesn't look like a GMAT question!
"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress."
- Alfred A. Montapert, Philosopher.

User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:20 am

by sanalnnair » Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:40 am
Gurpinder wrote

This doesn't look like a GMAT question!

hmmm.. But i have seen this question in a previous paper.. Bit confused to solve it..

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 509
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:08 pm
Location: Irvine, CA
Thanked: 199 times
Followed by:85 members
GMAT Score:750

by tpr-becky » Fri Sep 10, 2010 10:42 am
This problem looks like it is coming from the focus on remainders we are seeing on the GMAT recently.

This question requires knowing how many days are in a week and how many in a year. in a typical year there are 365 days and this problem covers 5 years so we would be dealing with 5(365) = 1825 days. But one of the years is a leap year so we are dealing with 1824 days. There are seven days in a week so we need to divide 1824 by seven but becuase we are looking for the day, not the decimal we should only solve it to the remainder.

7/1824 is 26R4. There are four days remaining and four days after Friday is Tuesday.

hope that helps.

Becky
Becky
Master GMAT Instructor
The Princeton Review
Irvine, CA

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 107
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2010 11:10 am
GMAT Score:690

by singhsa » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:44 pm
sanalnnair wrote:Hi, Can anyone help me to solve this problem

Source- Previous GMAT question


June 25, 1982, fell on a Friday. On which day of the week did June 25, 1987, fall? (Note:
1984 was a leap year.)

A. Sunday
B. Monday
C. Tuesday
D. Wednesday
E. Thursday
Answer: C


I had just seen the trend in days, and found that June 25, 1983 would be Saturday, 84 would be monday as its a leap year
. Similiarly I got the answer as Thursday. But answer given is E.
IMO E
I think the answer should be Thursday.

1982 - Friday

1983 - Saturday

1984 - Monday (leap year 366 days so you have to add 2 days instead of 1)

1985 - Tuesday

1986 - Wednesday

1987 - Thursday

Becky's explanation is good but I fail to understand how a normal year would have 1825 days whereas a leap year would have 1824 days. A leap year has an extra day in the calendar year. I feel the answer should be E

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 509
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:08 pm
Location: Irvine, CA
Thanked: 199 times
Followed by:85 members
GMAT Score:750

by tpr-becky » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:54 pm
You are correct - my explanation still stands except that in a leap year you add a day for 1826 total days - divided by seven leaves you with a remainder of 6 which gives you an answer of Thursday. Sorry for the confusion. If this were on a GMAT I would expect them to define leap year.
Becky
Master GMAT Instructor
The Princeton Review
Irvine, CA

User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:20 am

by sanalnnair » Sat Sep 11, 2010 12:13 am
Thanks a lot Becky.. I was doing the problem with the traditional way.. But then both the ways are almost the same..