A shopping cart contains only apples, oranges, and pears. If there are

O = 2A
P = 3O

A/P = (O/2)/(3O) = 1/6.

Oranges =2 Apples
Pears = 3 Oranges

Pears =3(2 Apples)

A/P =1/6

Hi noTh1ng,

When translating information into math formulas, you have to be careful about that work. If you make a mistake in the translation, then you'll almost certainly end up with an incorrect answer (and it's possible that THAT specific incorrect answer will be among the answer choices, so you won't even realize that you've made a mistake).

Here, we're told that there are twice as many oranges as apples. Before translating this sentence, think about what you should have MORE of...oranges or apples? So what do you have to do to the 'smaller number?' Double it...

Oranges = 2(Apples)

Your other translation IS correct though...

Pears = 3(Oranges)

From here, what would the correct answer be?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

For these questions I normally try and build a small table and avoid algebra at all cost...

...A shopping cart contains only apples, oranges, and pears...

A : O : P

...there are twice as many oranges as apples... (plug in easy numbers)

A : O : P
1 : 2 : ?

...three times as many pears as oranges... (fill in the blank)

A : O : P
1 : 2 : 6

apples are equivalent to what fraction of the pears?

A : O : P
1 : 2 : 6

Hence answer is A 1/6

Hope it helps... And that I'm not wrong

oops, thanks for noticing. Didn't pay enough attention there..

O = 2A
P = 3O

A = 1/2 O

1/2O / 3O = 1/6 O

Pears:Oranges=3:1 &Oranges:Apples=2:1
Rationalizing Oranges in both the ratios,
Pears:Oranges=6:2 & Oranges:Apples=2:1
Therefore, Pears:Apples=6:1
Answer A 1/6

Could someone please confirm if there are 6 apples for one pear or one pear for every 6 apples?

It will be 6 pears for every apple or P=6A.

If the questions says that you twice as many X as Y , then you would have X=2Y, there are more 'X's than 'Y's.

Hope this helps.

There are twice as many oranges as apples (note the idiomatic construction). There are also three times as many pears as oranges.

So let us have oranges = 4
SO apples must be half as much ==> 2
pears are thrice as much as oranges ==> 12
apples to pears ratio is 2/12 = 1/6!

o : a = 2 : 1----------------> (I)



p : o = 3 : 1----------------> (II)


Combining (I) & (II)-

o : a : p = 2 : 1 : 6



So, apples are 1/6 of pears....

Answer will be (A) \(\frac{1}{6}\)

Apples = A
Oranges = O
Pears = P
A = x/y x P ?
O = 2*A
P = 3*O
Substitute values
1/6
A

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