An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida

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An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida [#permalink]

21 Nov 2012, 07:21

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An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida. The number of detected instances of a certain disease is reported to have increased by 85% in the last year. What is the lowest number of newly detected instances possible?

(A) 1

(B) 5

(C) 11

(D) 15

(E) 17

[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

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Last edited by vomhorizon on 21 Nov 2012, 08:24, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida [#permalink]

21 Nov 2012, 10:58

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vomhorizon wrote:

Last year, there were n instances of the disease.
This year, the instances have increased by 85% i.e. this year, there are (n + 85% of n) instances of the disease.
The number of newly detected instances = 85% of n

Now the question is: What is the lowest number of newly detected instances possible?
This means we need to find the minimum value of 85% of n.

What are the constraints because of which there must be a minimum value of 85% of n?
The number of cases detected last year and the number of newly detected cases must be an integer. You cannot detect half a case, right?

Can (85/100 * n) be 1? No because in that case, n will not be an integer.
Can (85/100 * n) be 5? No because in that case, n will not be an integer.

Notice that 85 = 5*17.
So 85/100 = 17/20

(17/20 * n) = 17
n = 20 (an integer)

We will not get n as integer in any of the other options.
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Re: An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida [#permalink]

21 Nov 2012, 08:11

vomhorizon wrote:

An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida. The number of detected instances if a certain disease is reported to have increased by 85% in the last year. What is the lowest number of newly detected instances possible?

(A) 1

(B) 5

(C) 11

(D) 15

(E) 17

Can someone explain the question. I didn't get the question. I feel something is missing.

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Joined: 03 Sep 2012

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Location: United States

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GMAT Date: 02-20-2013

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Re: An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida [#permalink]

21 Nov 2012, 08:29

We need to find the MINIMUM possible no. of instances that a disease has been detected (at the present) if it the no. has increased by 85% from the last year (the no. of detected instances of the disease) ..
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Re: An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida [#permalink] 21 Nov 2012, 08:29

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An epidemic is reported to have broken out in Florida

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