NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 26 Apr 2024, 20:47 It is currently 26 Apr 2024, 20:47
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

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.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

PS-wire length segments

User avatar
kdhong
Manager
Manager
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 62
Own Kudos [?]: 621 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   19 Dec 2004, 23:22
00:00
A
B
C
D
E

Difficulty:

(N/A)

Question Stats:

0% (00:00) correct 0% (00:00) wrong based on 0 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
Could you tell me how you would go about solving this problem?

A wire is cut into three equal parts. The resulting segments are then cut into 4, 6, and 8 equal parts respectively. If each of the resulting segments has an integer length, what is the miniumum length of the wire?



Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Problem Solving (PS) Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block below for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
User avatar
gayathri
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 367
Own Kudos [?]: 468 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 06:39
I would take the LCM of 4,6,8. It is 24. So each of the three pieces is 24 units, so actual length will be 24*3 = 72 units.
User avatar
carsen
Manager
Manager
Joined: 25 Dec 2003
Posts: 215
Own Kudos [?]: 60 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Location: India
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 08:21
The easiest way is to subsitute the values. We know that the segments have integer values. (1, 2, 3, 4....)

Let us start with the minimum.

segments : 4---6---8

Let us take 1 as the integer of the first segment (4 parts). Hence one part is 0.25. But this will not give an integer value for the second segment (6 parts). Hence integer 1 is out.

Take interger 2 for the 1st segment.

Then we have the lengths are 2---3---4. Making the total lenght of the wire as 9.

This is the easiest way to solve. I hope this helped.
:)
User avatar
kdhong
Manager
Manager
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 62
Own Kudos [?]: 621 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 09:31
carsen,

The OA is not 9.
avatar
maheshw
Intern
Intern
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 2
Own Kudos [?]: 1 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 12:43
let lenght of wire be x.

divided into three equal parts gives x/3

each of them is further divided into equal parts as follows

x/12 , x/18 , x/24. for all these to be intergers, we need the LCM which is 144.
is that the right answer?
avatar
sair
Intern
Intern
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 2
Own Kudos [?]: 3 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Location: Canada.
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 19:40
If the wire is cut in 3 equal parts , then the minimum length is some multiple of 3.
Then each one of that length is cut into 4,6 and 8 equal parts. So we've to find the minimum common multiple of 4,6 and 8 which is 24.

So the minimum length would be 24 * 3 = 72.
User avatar
carsen
Manager
Manager
Joined: 25 Dec 2003
Posts: 215
Own Kudos [?]: 60 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Location: India
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 23:38
IGNORE my last solution. I misread the question.

Let 'L' be the total lenght of the wire. Upon segmenting as per the requirement, each segment has

1st wire peice - L/12
2nd wire peice - L/18
3rd wire piece - L/24

The LCM for these values is 72. This is the minimum value.

To go about solving these... draw a line lenght "L". cut in to 3 peices, each of L/3. And we know these each L/3 shud be cut in to 4, 6, and 8 parts. Hence..

L/3 x 4= L/12
L/3 x 6 = L/18
L/3 x 8 = L/24.

Calculate the LCM. In this case, 72. Hence 72 is the answer. Pardon me for misunderstanding the question, earlier.

Regards
User avatar
kdhong
Manager
Manager
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 62
Own Kudos [?]: 621 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   20 Dec 2004, 23:47
Thanks for the help! The OA is 72.
User avatar
LoveTheGMAT
Intern
Intern
Joined: 18 Dec 2009
Posts: 27
Own Kudos [?]: [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Send PM
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink] New post   25 Dec 2009, 21:41
Can someone please explain to me why we need to take the LCM in this case?
And why is it important to find multiple of 3 if the wire was further cut into pieces?

I thought with pieces cut into 4,6,8 I can simply add them and since it has to be integer length, 4 + 6 + 8 = 18 would be the minimum length.

Thanks



Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Problem Solving (PS) Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block above for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: PS-wire length segments [#permalink]
25 Dec 2009, 21:41
Moderators:
Bunuel
Math Expert
92948 posts
yashikaaggarwal
Senior Moderator - Masters Forum
3137 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions