Last visit was: 07 May 2024, 23:22 It is currently 07 May 2024, 23:22

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
SORT BY:
Date
Tags:
Difficulty: Sub 505 Levelx   Resolve Paradoxx                           
Show Tags
Hide Tags
User avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 866
Own Kudos [?]: 6823 [46]
Given Kudos: 1
Concentration: Finance
Schools:CBS, Kellogg
Send PM
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 340
Own Kudos [?]: 393 [5]
Given Kudos: 5
Send PM
General Discussion
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 180
Own Kudos [?]: 265 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Location: SFO Bay Area
Concentration: Entrepreneurship
Schools:Berkeley Haas
Send PM
User avatar
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 258
Own Kudos [?]: 327 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
I second C. That seems to be the standard way of marking mileposts on highways.
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 180
Own Kudos [?]: 265 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Location: SFO Bay Area
Concentration: Entrepreneurship
Schools:Berkeley Haas
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
How about the following CR question ??

11-t58442

SKS
User avatar
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 300
Own Kudos [?]: 583 [1]
Given Kudos: 0
Concentration: MC, PE, VC
 Q50  V37
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
1
Bookmarks
sondenso wrote:
A milepost on the towpath read “21” on the side facing the hiker as she approached it and “23” on its back. She reasoned that the next milepost forward on the path would indicate that she was halfway between one end of the path and the other. However, the milepost one mile further on read “20” facing her and “24” behind.

Which of the following, if true, would explain the discrepancy described above?


(A) The numbers on the next milepost had been reversed.[wrong eliminate]
(B) The numbers on the mileposts indicate kilometers, not miles. [ wrong eliminate]
(C) The facing numbers indicate miles to the end of the path, not miles from the beginning. [ logical]
(D) A milepost was missing between the two the hiker encountered. [ don't feel in the logical gap -eliminate]
(E) The mileposts had originally been put in place for the use of mountain bikers, not for hikers.[ irrelevant -eliminate]

so C
User avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 866
Own Kudos [?]: 6823 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Concentration: Finance
Schools:CBS, Kellogg
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
Thank all of you guys, paradox is a nightmare for me, do you have any tips for this?
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 4
Own Kudos [?]: 37 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
A milepost on the towpath read"21"on the side facing the hiker as she approached it and"23"on its back.She reasoned that the next milepost forward on the path would indicate that she was halfway between one end of the path and the other. However, the milepost one mile further on read"20"facing her and"24"behind.

Which of the following,if true,would explain the discrepancy described above?

(A) The numbers on the next milepost had been reversed.
(B) The numbers on the mileposts indicate kilometers,not miles.
(C) The facing numbers indicate miles to the end of the path.not miles from the beginning.
(D) A milepost was missing between the two the hiker encountered.
(E) The mileposts had originally been put in place for the use of mountain bikers,not for hikers.
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 4
Own Kudos [?]: 37 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
good explanation buddy...thanks...!!!
User avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Posts: 36
Own Kudos [?]: 200 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
A milepost on the towpath read “21” on the side facing the hiker as she approached it and “23” on its back. She reasoned that the next milepost forward on the path would indicate that she was halfway between one end of the path and the other. However, the milepost one mile further on read “20” facing her and “24” behind.

Which of the following, if true, would explain the discrepancy described above?
(A) The numbers on the next milepost had been reversed.
(B) The numbers on the mileposts indicate kilometers, not miles.
(C) The facing numbers indicate miles to the end of the path, not miles from the beginning.
(D) A milepost was missing between the two the hiker encountered.
(E) The mileposts had originally been put in place for the use of mountain bikers, not for hikers.
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 11 May 2010
Posts: 109
Own Kudos [?]: 549 [0]
Given Kudos: 11
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
I pick C.

It is exactly as C said, nothing more to add.
User avatar
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 21 Dec 2010
Posts: 267
Own Kudos [?]: 1334 [0]
Given Kudos: 51
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
C clearly explains the so called paradox
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Posts: 124
Own Kudos [?]: 295 [3]
Given Kudos: 4
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
3
Bookmarks
I have chosen the answer C for this question:

You can almost think of this question like a basic math problem. You know that the total distance of the hike is 44 miles. If this individual hikes and sees 21 on the front of the milepost and 23 on the back, you probably won't be sure what those numbers mean. However, after you hike some more and see 20 on the front and 24 on the back, it should tell you that you have just walked 1 mile and that the number on the front tells you remaining distance, not distance traveled.

A. This answer choice would be incorrect because the next sign should only be a 1 mile difference, yet we would have 21 and 24 as the milepost readings.

B. The unit of measurement is not important

C. This is the correct answer and it definitely resolves the paradox.

D. This doesn't make much sense because what milepost would be in between 21 and 20?

E. Who the milepost was put in for is irrelevant.
avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 29 Nov 2012
Posts: 580
Own Kudos [?]: 6057 [0]
Given Kudos: 543
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
Can someone please provide detailed explanation! Thanks!
User avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 02 Sep 2012
Status:Far, far away!
Posts: 859
Own Kudos [?]: 4893 [4]
Given Kudos: 219
Location: Italy
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.8
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
4
Kudos
fozzzy wrote:
Can someone please provide detailed explanation! Thanks!


A milepost on the towpath read “21” on the side facing the hiker as she approached it and “23” on its back. She reasoned that the next milepost forward on the path would indicate that she was halfway between one end of the path and the other. However, the milepost one mile further on read “20” facing her and “24” behind.

Which of the following, if true, would explain the discrepancy described above?

The correct answer will resolve the "paradox", we can discard

(B) The numbers on the mileposts indicate kilometers, not miles. - this would make no difference
(E) The mileposts had originally been put in place for the use of mountain bikers, not for hikers. - this would make no difference

We are left with

(A) The numbers on the next milepost had been reversed.
(C) The facing numbers indicate miles to the end of the path, not miles from the beginning.
(D) A milepost was missing between the two the hiker encountered.

The milepost has a side with "21"(other side "23").She is running and thinks a "22" will follow

However a 20 is on the next milepost, with a 24 on its back.

In her logic the numbers increase 21+1=22 so this count is the number of miles she has run. (=miles from the beginning)
In her path she encounters a decrease 21-1=20 so the actual number does not represent the miles she has run, but the miles LEFT to run.(=miles to the end of the path)

Example: 10 miles
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Miles to the end=> decrease
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Miles from the beg.=> increase
Director
Director
Joined: 26 Oct 2016
Posts: 510
Own Kudos [?]: 3382 [4]
Given Kudos: 877
Location: United States
Concentration: Marketing, International Business
Schools: HBS '19
GMAT 1: 770 Q51 V44
GPA: 4
WE:Education (Education)
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
3
Kudos
1
Bookmarks
This is a "Resolve Paradox" type question.

Reading the stimulus one thing is clear, the total distance is 21 + 23 = 44 miles. The solution can almost be pre-phrased:
1. The stones facing her are going to increase in number - in this case they represent miles covered
2. The stones facing her are going to decrease in number - in this case they represent miles to go
3. There is an issue with the numbers on the milepost. the chances of this are almost nil since the addition of the values given in the stimulus is 20 + 24 = 44.

Hence let's look at the choices:
A - Even if they were reversed they should still show 22/22 and not 20/24 or 24/20. Hence out.
B - Does not matter what the quantity the logic will remain same for Kilometers, miles, yards .......Hence out
C - Spot on this is point 2 above. Keep.
D - Tough to justify, these are mileposts if one were missing then this one should have read 19 (facing)/25 or 23/21 (the sum has to be 44), depending if the posts represent distance to go or distance from start, respectively.
E - Bikers, hunters .....hikers I believe all use the same mile. A sailor should be able to figure out the logic even though he would be thinking in terms of nautical miles. Discard.

Hence pick C
Mannheim Thread Master
Joined: 10 Feb 2017
Status:It's now or never
Posts: 130
Own Kudos [?]: 63 [1]
Given Kudos: 51
Location: India
GMAT 1: 650 Q40 V39
GPA: 3
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
1
Kudos
Solution: Hiker sees a milepost marked 21 on one side and 23 on the other. She expects the next milepost to read 22 on both sides. However, the actual sign says 20 and 24.

C is correct - This statement resolves the discrepancy between the true meaning of the mileposts and the hiker's expectation about them by showing how the hiker misinterpreted the mileposts.
Intern
Intern
Joined: 10 Jan 2017
Status:Don't watch the clock,Do what it does, Keep Going.
Posts: 18
Own Kudos [?]: 10 [0]
Given Kudos: 67
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
C would be the answer . Easiest way of getting till there would be elimination process . You will find out the other options are easily eliminated.
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 17276
Own Kudos [?]: 848 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
Re: A milepost on the towpath read "21" on the side facing the hiker as [#permalink]
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6922 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts
CR Forum Moderator
832 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne