Last visit was: 19 Jul 2025, 10:37 It is currently 19 Jul 2025, 10:37
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
User avatar
nousernamefine
Joined: 14 Jan 2024
Last visit: 10 Jun 2025
Posts: 34
Own Kudos:
28
 [1]
Given Kudos: 126
Location: India
GPA: 4
Posts: 34
Kudos: 28
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Akshay1298
Joined: 16 Nov 2023
Last visit: 18 Jul 2025
Posts: 43
Own Kudos:
37
 [1]
Given Kudos: 98
Posts: 43
Kudos: 37
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
__Poisonivy__
Joined: 24 Feb 2024
Last visit: 08 Apr 2025
Posts: 64
Own Kudos:
56
 [1]
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 64
Kudos: 56
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
mpp01
Joined: 13 Dec 2024
Last visit: 08 Jun 2025
Posts: 60
Own Kudos:
48
 [1]
Given Kudos: 9
Location: Spain
Products:
Posts: 60
Kudos: 48
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Total books are 3NF + NF = 4NF

Given F = 3*NF
So the total number of books must be in the form of 4*k
Since we are looking for the least number possible let's try with 20

20 = 4X -> NF are 5 and Fictions are 15
Fictions 15 and 4/5 are hardcover so hardcover will be 12 and Non-hardcover will be 3.
12 are hardcover from which 3/4 are from authorised authors which is 9 books and 3 will be from non authored local writers.

This gives us all integer solutions and answer 20 is correct
User avatar
nikiki
Joined: 07 May 2023
Last visit: 19 July 2025
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
57
 [1]
Given Kudos: 91
Location: India
Posts: 65
Kudos: 57
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
let f = no. of fiction books
n = no. of non fiction books

f=3n

4/5th of fiction are hardcover
=4/5 * f = 4/5 * 3n = 12n/5

3/4th of hardcover are authored by local writers
=3/4 * 12n/5
= 9n/5

total no. of books
f+n=n+3n = 4n

For the total number of books to be a whole number, both the number of hardcover fiction books 12n/5 and the number of local writer fiction books 9n/5 must be whole numbers
==> n must be a multiple of 5.

the smallest value of n that satisfies the equation = 5

least total no. of books in library is 4*5 = 20

Option B
Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of Prizes

A library has both fiction and nonfiction books. Of the fiction books, 4/5 are hardcover, and 3/4 of these hardcover books are authored by local writers. If the number of fiction books is three times the number of nonfiction books, what is the least total number of books in the library?

A. 15
B. 20
C. 40
D. 60
E. 80

 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

Win $40,000 in prizes: Courses, Tests & more

 

User avatar
chloepham
Joined: 17 Nov 2024
Last visit: 09 Jan 2025
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
13
 [1]
Given Kudos: 16
Posts: 15
Kudos: 13
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The number of books has to be integer.

4/5 are hardcover ==> At least 5 fiction books (where X=1 or 5X books).

But we have fiction books = 3 x nonfiction books
==> The least fiction books is 3 x 5X = 15 books
==> Nonfiction book is 5

So the least total will be 5 + 15 = 20 books
Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of Prizes

A library has both fiction and nonfiction books. Of the fiction books, 4/5 are hardcover, and 3/4 of these hardcover books are authored by local writers. If the number of fiction books is three times the number of nonfiction books, what is the least total number of books in the library?

A. 15
B. 20
C. 40
D. 60
E. 80

 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

Win $40,000 in prizes: Courses, Tests & more

 

User avatar
maddscientistt
Joined: 09 Mar 2023
Last visit: 17 Jul 2025
Posts: 52
Own Kudos:
47
 [1]
Given Kudos: 64
Posts: 52
Kudos: 47
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let N be the number of nonfiction books. Then, the number of fiction books is 3N

Hardcover fiction books = 12N/5
Local author hardcover fiction books = 9N/5

For 9N/5 to be an integer, N must be a multiple of 5. The smallest such N is 5

if N is 5, 3N = 15

Total books = 5 + 15 = 20

Answer is Option B


Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of Prizes

A library has both fiction and nonfiction books. Of the fiction books, 4/5 are hardcover, and 3/4 of these hardcover books are authored by local writers. If the number of fiction books is three times the number of nonfiction books, what is the least total number of books in the library?

A. 15
B. 20
C. 40
D. 60
E. 80

 


This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

Win $40,000 in prizes: Courses, Tests & more

 

User avatar
Devaditya
Joined: 13 Nov 2023
Last visit: 06 Jul 2025
Posts: 18
Own Kudos:
11
 [1]
Given Kudos: 39
Location: India
Concentration: International Business, Economics
GPA: 3.5
WE:Operations (Retail: E-commerce)
Products:
Posts: 18
Kudos: 11
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let F be no. of fictional books and nF be non fictional, then total books would be F + nF which should be an positive integer.

F=3nF ; Of the fiction books, 4/5 are hardcover. Of these hardcover fiction books, 3/4 are authored by local writers.
ie: LA books = 3/4 * 4/5 * 3nF which should be integer. it implies nF should be a multiple of 5 . Try with nF = 5 => F= 15 total books = 20.
   1   2   3   4 
Moderators:
Math Expert
102620 posts
PS Forum Moderator
698 posts