In a certain survey, 1,200 people were asked which they

Oldest

Best Reply

Author

Message

TAGS:

Intern

Joined: 06 Aug 2010

Posts: 2

Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 0 [0], given: 1

In a certain survey, 1,200 people were asked which they [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 20:59

00:00

Question Stats:

50% (02:07) correct

50% (00:51) wrong

based on 0 sessions

In a certain survey, 1,200 people were asked which they preferred, comedic films or dramatic films. If each respondent expressed a preference for one or the other, how many female respondents surveyed preferred comedic films?

(1) Seventy-four percent of the females preferred dramatic films.
(2) Sixty-four percent of the respondents preferred dramatic films.

[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

Last edited by adinit on 12 Apr 2011, 22:11, edited 2 times in total.

Director

Joined: 03 Feb 2011

Posts: 944

Followers: 9

Kudos [?]: 137 [0], given: 121

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 21:42

how many female respondents surveyed preferred comedic films ? or this can be rephrased can - Can we dissect female population according to their taste of dramatic and comedic films?

1) Insufficient.

m + f = 12000
The fact that 0.72f preferred dramatic films does not allows us to make an equation.

2) Insufficient.

The total number who preferred dramatic films = 0.64 * 12000
does not allows us to make an equation.

1) + 2) Does not answer the question. We don't know how many males preferred the dramatic films. And we don't know the overlaps. Answer E

Last edited by gmat1220 on 12 Apr 2011, 22:07, edited 1 time in total.

SVP

Joined: 16 Nov 2010

Posts: 1719

Location: United States (IN)

Concentration: Strategy, Technology

Followers: 26

Kudos [?]: 227 [0], given: 34

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 21:54

Total = M + F = 1200

(1) says, 74% of females = dramatic films

=> 26% of females = Comedy

0.26F = Comedy

But, we don't know the # of females, so insufficient

(2) says, 64% of respondents = dramatic

=> 36% of people = Comedy

0.36(1200) = Comedy

But we don't know the Male-Female breakup, so insufficient.

(1) and (2) together :

0.26F + x/100M = 0.36 * 1200 (x is %age of males who like comedy)

We don't know x here.

Answer - E
_________________

Formula of Life -> Achievement/Potential = k * Happiness (where k is a constant)

Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates

SVP

Joined: 16 Nov 2010

Posts: 1719

Location: United States (IN)

Concentration: Strategy, Technology

Followers: 26

Kudos [?]: 227 [1] , given: 34

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 22:10

This post received
KUDOS

This question has a discrepancy:

As per (2) we can have 0.36(M+F) = Comedy;

=> 0.36M + 0.36F = Comedy

but as per (1) we have 0.26F = Comedy.

So the overlapping number is obscure, and again, this makes the answer E.
_________________

Formula of Life -> Achievement/Potential = k * Happiness (where k is a constant)

Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates

Manager

Joined: 18 Jan 2011

Posts: 244

Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 19 [0], given: 4

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 22:21

Both 1 and 2 don't provide info. So E.
_________________

Good Luck!!!

***Help and be helped!!!****

Manager

Joined: 14 Feb 2011

Posts: 203

Followers: 4

Kudos [?]: 42 [0], given: 3

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

12 Apr 2011, 22:38

subhashghosh wrote:

I don't think we can conclude that there is a discrepancy here.

The Comedy in your first equation (colored red above) refers to Total number of people preferring Comedy

Whereas, Comedy in your second equation (colored blue above) refers to total number of females preferring Comedy.

So, both statements can be true.

For example, if there were 1000 males and 200 females, then 1st equation just says that 36% of 1200 prefer comedy and that comes to a total of 432 people - which is the same total if 36% of males as well as 36% of females preferred Comedy, but that's not the only combination that can give us 432, as we see below.

The second equation says that 26% of 200 females prefer comedy and that comes to a total of 52 females.

So, number of males preferring comedy is 432 - 52 = 380, and hence percentage of males preferring comedy is 38%. So, for this male female breakup, total 26% can prefer comedy if 38% males and 26% females prefer comedy.

Of course, the answer still is E.

Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Posts: 3104

Location: Pune, India

Followers: 567

Kudos [?]: 1994 [0], given: 92

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink]

13 Apr 2011, 19:04

adinit wrote:

I love to tell people that they should spend quite a bit of time getting comfortable with weighted averages because it is a concept that is very useful in many questions. This is a perfect example of that. Normally you wouldn't think of using weighted averages here but the moment I read the question, I knew the answer is E.
The reason - I like to think in terms of averages.

Let me explain:

Females preferring dramatic films = 74%
Total people preferring dramatic films (i.e. the weighted average) = 64%
Males preferring the dramatic films - unknown
Ratio of males:females - unknown
Since there are these two unknowns, we cannot find the ratio of males:females and hence cannot find the number of females and hence cannot find the number of females who prefer comedic films.
Mind you, this takes a moment to flash when you just think of the scale and imagine the 64% in the center and 74% on right side and the empty left side and empty top...

(If you think I am off my rocker, check out the following post where I discussed the 'scale method'.. That should certainly help clarify what I mean
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/03 ... -averages/)
_________________

Karishma
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor
My Blog

Save 10% on Veritas Prep GMAT Courses And Admissions Consulting
Enroll now. Pay later. Take advantage of Veritas Prep's flexible payment plan options.

Veritas Prep Reviews

Re: DS - Word Problem [#permalink] 13 Apr 2011, 19:04

		Similar topics	Author	Replies	Last post
Similar Topics:		People were asked in a survey how old they felt. They	Andr359	7	01 Jul 2007, 09:23
		People were asked in a survey how old they felt. They	noboru	10	13 Jun 2010, 11:30
	2	210 college students were asked in a survey if	maheshsrini	4	22 Sep 2011, 19:51
	2	210 college students were asked in a survey if they	arps	14	11 Feb 2012, 15:27
		210 college students were asked in a survey if they	piyushksharma	4	10 May 2012, 04:45

In a certain survey, 1,200 people were asked which they

Main navigation

GMAT Resources

Partners

MBA Resources

GMAT ® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council ® (GMAC ®). GMAT Club's website has not been reviewed or endorsed by GMAC.