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A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory

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MisterEko
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A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory [#permalink] New post   31 Oct 2010, 17:59
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Hey guys,
I was just doing the Knewton's diagnostic test and found this question to be awkwardly worded, which made me miss the correct answer.

A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory. Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run [highlight]either[/highlight] the programs or the operating system, in which case it is called "in use." Are more than 500 megabytes "free"?

1. The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system.
2. The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free.

I chose statement (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

The reason i chose B is because i assumed that only one memory can be used at a time, because they say that "In use memory is EITHER the programs OR the operating system." If this is true, then the amount of free memory must be at least 1001 MB and In Use memory at most 999 MB. This would imply that, yes, there are more than 500 MB of free memory available.
They say C is correct because they assume that both memories CAN be used at the same time. Am i seeing this wrong, or did they word it wrongly?
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Re: Awkwardly worded DS? [#permalink] New post   31 Oct 2010, 18:31
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MisterEko wrote:
Hey guys,
I was just doing the Knewton's diagnostic test and found this question to be awkwardly worded, which made me miss the correct answer.

A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory. Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run [highlight]either[/highlight] the programs or the operating system, in which case it is called "in use." Are more than 500 megabytes "free"?

1. The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system.
2. The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free.

I chose statement (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

The reason i chose B is because i assumed that only one memory can be used at a time, because they say that "In use memory is EITHER the programs OR the operating system." If this is true, then the amount of free memory must be at least 1001 MB and In Use memory at most 999 MB. This would imply that, yes, there are more than 500 MB of free memory available.
They say C is correct because they assume that both memories CAN be used at the same time. Am i seeing this wrong, or did they word it wrongly?


I think your understanding of the wording is wrong. "Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run either the programs or the operating system" doesn't mean that memory can be used for only programs or for only OS, it can be used to run both. In this case answer is C:

Given: total=2,000. Question: is free memory>500?

(1) The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system --> \(OS+programs=5*OS\) --> \(programs=4*OS\). Clearly insufficient.

(2) The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free --> \(programs<free\). Also insufficient.

(1)+(2) \(total=free+OS+programs\) --> \(2,000=free+\frac{programs}{4}+programs\) --> \(8,000=4*free+5*programs\) --> \(5*programs=8,000-4*free\). As from (2) \(programs<free\) or \(5*programs<5*free\) then: \(8,000-4*free<5*free\) --> \(8,000<9*free\) --> \(free>\frac{8,000}{9}>500\). Sufficient.

Answer: C.
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Re: Awkwardly worded DS? [#permalink] New post   31 Oct 2010, 18:54
Bunuel wrote:
MisterEko wrote:
Hey guys,
I was just doing the Knewton's diagnostic test and found this question to be awkwardly worded, which made me miss the correct answer.

A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory. Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run [highlight]either[/highlight] the programs or the operating system, in which case it is called "in use." Are more than 500 megabytes "free"?

1. The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system.
2. The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free.

I chose statement (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

The reason i chose B is because i assumed that only one memory can be used at a time, because they say that "In use memory is EITHER the programs OR the operating system." If this is true, then the amount of free memory must be at least 1001 MB and In Use memory at most 999 MB. This would imply that, yes, there are more than 500 MB of free memory available.
They say C is correct because they assume that both memories CAN be used at the same time. Am i seeing this wrong, or did they word it wrongly?


I think your understanding of the wording is wrong. "Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run either the programs or the operating system" doesn't mean that memory can be used for only programs or for only OS, it can be used to run both. In this case answer is C:

Given: total=2,000. Question: is free memory>500?

(1) The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system --> \(OS+programs=5*OS\) --> \(programs=4*OS\). Clearly insufficient.

(2) The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free --> \(programs<free\). Also insufficient.

(1)+(2) \(total=free+OS+programs\) --> \(2,000=free+\frac{programs}{4}+programs\) --> \(8,000=4*free+5*programs\) --> \(5*programs=8,000-4*free\). As from (2) \(programs<free\) or \(5*programs<5*free\) then: \(8,000-4*free<5*free\) --> \(8,000<9*free\) --> \(free>\frac{8,000}{9}>500\). Sufficient.

Answer: C.

Thank you. I am still struggling with those words, "either" and "or." I was pretty sure that, when used in this way, they are mutually exclusive.
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A certain computer has megabytes of memory [#permalink] New post   26 Feb 2011, 11:17
A certain computer has 2000 megabytes of memory. Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run either the programs or the operating system, in which case it is called "in use." Are more than 500 megabytes "free"?

1.The total memory in use is times the memory being used to run the operating system.
2.The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free.

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
.
(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
.
(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
.
(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
.
(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
.
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Re: A certain computer has megabytes of memory [#permalink] New post   26 Feb 2011, 11:21
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Re: Awkwardly worded DS? [#permalink] New post   26 Feb 2011, 12:08
A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory. Memory is considered "free" unless it is being used to run either the programs or the operating system, in which case it is called "in use." Are more than 500 megabytes "free"?

1. The total memory in use is 5 times the memory being used to run the operating system.
2. The amount of memory being used to run the programs is less than the amount of memory that is free.

Sol:
Available, A = 2000 megabyte(MB)
OS = Operating system usage of the memory
P = Program usage of the memory
Total memory usage, T = OS+P
A = OS+P+free=2000

Q: Is T<1500 or is free>500

(1) T = 5(OS)
We know;
T = (OS)+P
5(OS) = (OS)+P
P = 4(OS)
(OS)+P+free = 2000
(OS)+4(OS)+free=2000
5(OS)+free=2000

If operating system is using 100MB;
T=5(OS) = 5*100 = 500MB
free = 2000-500 = 1500 > 500. True

If operating system is using 400MB;
T=5(OS) = 5*100 = 2000
free = 2000-2000 = 0 < 500. False.

Not Sufficient.

(2) P < free
(OS)+P+free=2000

No information about operating system's memory usage, OS, is given

If P = 100 MB and OS= 200 MB; free = 2000-300 = 1700>500MB. true
If P = 100 MB and OS= 1500 MB; free = 2000-1600 = 400MB<500MB. false.
Not sufficient.

Combining both;

Program usage, P = 4(OS)
Also;
5(OS)+free=2000
free=2000-5(OS)

And; 4(OS) < free
4(OS) < 2000 - 5(OS)
9(OS) < 2000
OS < 2000/9= 223

T=5(OS)=223*5=1115. Maximum memory usage.
free = 2000-1115=885 > 500MB

Sufficient.

Ans: "C"

Good question....
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Re: A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory [#permalink] New post   20 Jan 2021, 10:43
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Re: A certain computer has 2,000 megabytes of memory [#permalink]
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