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# A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg

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SVP
Joined: 04 May 2006
Posts: 1787
Schools: CBS, Kellogg
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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14 May 2008, 02:09
2
29
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95% (hard)

Question Stats:

60% (02:17) correct 40% (02:06) wrong based on 438 sessions

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A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

A. 1/4
B. 2/5
C. 1/2
D. 3/5
E. 2/3

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Manager
Joined: 11 Apr 2008
Posts: 147
Schools: Kellogg(A), Wharton(W), Columbia(D)

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14 May 2008, 06:00
7
1
sondenso wrote:
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

1/4
2/5
1/2
3/5
2/3

10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 2.75 kg
5 kg sliver loses 0.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 1.5 kg
Actual loss is 2 kg.
Apply the alligation rule=>

2.75 1.5
\ /
2
/ \
0.5 0.75

ratio of tin/silver => 0.5/0.75 => 1/2/3/4 => 3/8 ???
Intern
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Posts: 32

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14 May 2008, 09:04
Hello All,

Solution is 2/3.
How i did it :
Let x be ratio we want.
If r(s) is rate of loss for silver and r(t) that of tin, T total weigh of tin and S total weigh of silver
We have 20=T+S (equation $) and 2=r(t)*T+r(s)*S We also know r(s)=0.375/5 and r(t)=1.375/10 So 2 = r(t)*T+r(s)*S => 20= 1.375*T+0.750*S (equation £) and we know (equation$) => 1+x = 20/S
So (equation $) => x=1.375*x+0.750-1 => 0.375*x = 0.25 => x= 2/3 A little long but that's how i solved it! I'm sure there is a more simple way to do. Senior Manager Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 307 Re: M12-18 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 14 May 2008, 23:45 anirudhoswal wrote: sondenso wrote: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar? 1/4 2/5 1/2 3/5 2/3 10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 2.75 kg 5 kg sliver loses 0.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 1.5 kg Actual loss is 2 kg. Apply the alligation rule=> 2.75 1.5 \ / 2 / \ 0.5 0.75 ratio of tin/silver => 0.5/0.75 => 1/2/3/4 => 3/8 ??? your rule is correct , calculation is wrong . I m interested in knowing this rule , can you elaborate , when can we apply this rule? Manager Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 147 Schools: Kellogg(A), Wharton(W), Columbia(D) Re: M12-18 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2008, 01:05 1 1 rpmodi wrote: anirudhoswal wrote: sondenso wrote: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar? 1/4 2/5 1/2 3/5 2/3 10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 2.75 kg 5 kg sliver loses 0.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 1.5 kg Actual loss is 2 kg. Apply the alligation rule=> 2.75 1.5 \ / 2 / \ 0.5 0.75 ratio of tin/silver => 0.5/0.75 => 1/2/3/4 => 3/8 ??? your rule is correct , calculation is wrong . I m interested in knowing this rule , can you elaborate , when can we apply this rule? Oh Crap !! obviously.. (1/2)/(3/4) = 4/6 = 2/3. What the hell will i do on the GMAT!! Neways, the rule I used is called "alligations". It is useful for quickly calculating ratios of individual components in MIXTURES. Please bear with me... I will post a more detailed expl asap. thnx. CEO Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 2900 Re: M12-18 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2008, 05:48 This alligations rule may help me with word translations problems for ratios and mixtures. Do you happen to have a detailed description or a link that describes it properly ? Manager Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 147 Schools: Kellogg(A), Wharton(W), Columbia(D) Re: M12-18 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2008, 05:57 2 I have been looking for a good explanation. Unfortunately, I have found none. There is a brief mention of the method on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligation Pls let me know if this explanation is satisfactory. In the menawhile I will look for a better link. Thanks. SVP Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 1787 Schools: CBS, Kellogg Re: M12-18 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 May 2008, 20:42 anirudhoswal wrote: I have been looking for a good explanation. Unfortunately, I have found none. There is a brief mention of the method on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligation Pls let me know if this explanation is satisfactory. In the menawhile I will look for a better link. Thanks. Many thanks anirudhoswal. The link is good, but it is somewhat difficult for me to understand. Do you have the reference that is the same way as you apply to in previous post? Thanks! OA is E _________________ Intern Joined: 27 Jun 2013 Posts: 3 Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink] ### Show Tags 06 Aug 2013, 22:49 3 1 [*] sondenso wrote: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar? 1/4 2/5 1/2 3/5 2/3 interesting question. This is my solution for the problem: 10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg => lost 13.75% its weight 5 kg Silver loses 0.375 kg => lost 7.5% of its weight Initially, 20 kg of alloy loses 2kg => 10% of its weight Call X is the weight of Tin the alloy Y is the weight of Silver in the alloy We have => X/Y = 2.5%/ 3.75% = 2/3 Very nice question! Attachments duong cheo.PNG [ 3.32 KiB | Viewed 6897 times ] Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Posts: 8102 Location: Pune, India Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink] ### Show Tags 09 Aug 2013, 22:32 2 6 Campanella1989 wrote: [*] sondenso wrote: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar? 1/4 2/5 1/2 3/5 2/3 interesting question. This is my solution for the problem: 10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg => lost 13.75% its weight 5 kg Silver loses 0.375 kg => lost 7.5% of its weight Initially, 20 kg of alloy loses 2kg => 10% of its weight Call X is the weight of Tin the alloy Y is the weight of Silver in the alloy We have => X/Y = 2.5%/ 3.75% = 2/3 Very nice question! Rather than using the alligation diagram, you can simply use this formula to avoid confusion: w1/w2 = (A2 - Aavg)/(Avg - A1) Weight of Tin/Weight of Silver = (Silver's loss - Avg loss)/(Avg loss - Tin's loss) X/Y = (7.5 - 10)/(10 - 13.75) = 2/3 To check out a detailed discussion on this formula, see: http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/03 ... -averages/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/04 ... ge-brutes/ _________________ Karishma Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor My Blog Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for$199

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Senior Manager
Joined: 10 Jul 2013
Posts: 318
Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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10 Aug 2013, 07:11
sondenso wrote:
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

A. 1/4
B. 2/5
C. 1/2
D. 3/5
E. 2/3

10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 2.75 kg
5 kg sliver loses 0.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 1.5 kg
Actual loss is 2 kg.
Apply the alligation rule=>

2.75 1.5
\ /
2
/ \
0.5 0.75
! !
1/2 3/4

Ratio of tin/silver = (1/2) / (3/4) = 2/3
_________________

Asif vai.....

SVP
Joined: 06 Sep 2013
Posts: 1882
Concentration: Finance
Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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09 Jan 2014, 06:43
1
Asifpirlo wrote:
sondenso wrote:
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

A. 1/4
B. 2/5
C. 1/2
D. 3/5
E. 2/3

10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 2.75 kg
5 kg sliver loses 0.375 kg=> 20 kg loses 1.5 kg
Actual loss is 2 kg.
Apply the alligation rule=>

2.75 1.5
\ /
2
/ \
0.5 0.75
! !
1/2 3/4

Ratio of tin/silver = (1/2) / (3/4) = 2/3

Concept of differentials may also be aplied here

Total loss 2

Loss 20kg of tin is 2.75
Loss 20kg of silver is 1.5

Therefore 0.75T - 0.5S = 0
75T = 50S
T/S = 50/75=2/3

Hope it helps
Cheers!
J
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Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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24 Jan 2014, 14:44
1
Well, I found a tricky way for this one.

You have 20kg as a total.

A. 1/4 ==> Total 1+4=5 So can divide 20
B. 2/5 ==> Total 2+5=7 So cannot divide 20
C. 1/2 ==> Total 1+2=3 So cannot divide 20
D. 3/5 ==> Total 3+5=8 So cannot divide 20
E. 2/3 ==> Total $$1+4=5$$ So can divide 20

Therefore you have A and E.

A cannot be the answer since the ratio is to big.

But let's look at E:

$$2/3$$ of 20 is 8 and 12.

For the tin the water lose is: one kilo= $$1.375/10=0.1375$$ and for the silverthe water lose is: one kilo=$$0.375/5=0.075$$

$$(8*0.1375) + (12*0.075) = 2$$

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Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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21 Mar 2014, 06:44
6
1

20kg of tin loses 2.75 kg in water.
20kg of silver loses 1.5kg in water.

Some sort of combination of these metals loses 2 kg in water.

Thus,

$$2.75(x) + 1.5(1-x) = 2$$
$$2.75x + 1.5 - 1.5x = 2$$
$$1.25x = .5$$
$$x = (1/2)/(5/4) = 2/5.$$

Thus, the alloy is 2/5 tin and thus 3/5 silver, and therefore the ratio of tin to silver is 2/3.

VP
Joined: 07 Dec 2014
Posts: 1019
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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26 Oct 2015, 20:15
1
.10(T+S)=.1375T+.075S
T/S=2/3
Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor
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Posts: 8102
Location: Pune, India
Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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10 Feb 2016, 23:33
2
2
VeritasPrepKarishma wrote:
Campanella1989 wrote:
[*]
sondenso wrote:
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

1/4
2/5
1/2
3/5
2/3

interesting question.

This is my solution for the problem:

10 kg tin loses 1.375 kg => lost 13.75% its weight
5 kg Silver loses 0.375 kg => lost 7.5% of its weight

Initially, 20 kg of alloy loses 2kg => 10% of its weight

Call X is the weight of Tin the alloy
Y is the weight of Silver in the alloy

We have

=> X/Y = 2.5%/ 3.75% = 2/3

Very nice question!

Rather than using the alligation diagram, you can simply use this formula to avoid confusion:

w1/w2 = (A2 - Aavg)/(Avg - A1)

Weight of Tin/Weight of Silver = (Silver's loss - Avg loss)/(Avg loss - Tin's loss)

X/Y = (7.5 - 10)/(10 - 13.75) = 2/3

To check out a detailed discussion on this formula, see:
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/03 ... -averages/
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/04 ... ge-brutes/

Responding to a pm:

Here is how you will find the values of A1 an A2.

We have an overall loss (average loss). The average loss is 2 kg when 20 kg alloy is immersed.
This is a loss of (2/20)*100 = 10%.
This is Aavg

The loss of tin is 1.375 kg for every 10 kg.
This means it loses (1.375/10)*100 = 13.75% of its weight in water.
This is A1.

The loss of silver is .375 kg for every 5 kg.
This means it loses (.375/5)* 100 = 7.5% of its weight in water.
This is A2.
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Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for $199 Veritas Prep Reviews Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Posts: 8102 Location: Pune, India A 20 kg metal bar made of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in th [#permalink] ### Show Tags 29 May 2016, 23:36 Responding to a pm: A 20 kg metal bar made of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. If 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water and 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg, what is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar? A) 1/4 B) 2/5 C) 1/2 D) 3/5 E) 2/3 The bar lost certain percentage of its weight. We don't know how much tin was lost and how much silver was lost but in all 2 kg was lost with is 10% of its overall weight. Tin loses 1.375 kg in 10 kg so 13.75% of its weight when it is put in water. Silver loses .375 kg in 5 kg so .375/5 * 100 = 7.5% of its weight in water. Now, we just need to use weighted averages: Wt/Ws = (7.5 - 10)/(10 - 13.75) = 2.5/3.75 = 2/3 Answer (E) For more on weighted averages and mixtures, check: http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/03 ... -averages/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/04 ... -mixtures/ _________________ Karishma Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor My Blog Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for$199

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Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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07 Jun 2016, 03:13
Say in 20kg, let 'x'kg be tin and 'y'kg be silver.
Now, find the losses of tin and silver for 20kg. So, tin looses 2.75 and silver looses 1.5 resp for 20 kgs.

So, 2.75x + 1.5y = 2(x+y). Solving, we get x/y=2/3.
Intern
Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 45
Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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16 Jun 2016, 11:33
sondenso wrote:
A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg of its weight in the water. 10 kg of tin loses 1.375 kg in the water; 5 kg of silver loses 0.375 kg. What is the ratio of tin to silver in the bar?

A. 1/4
B. 2/5
C. 1/2
D. 3/5
E. 2/3

Solution:

let Tin is x kg and Silver is y kg in 20 kg metal bar----->$$x+y=20$$

for 10 kg of Tin it loses 1.375 kg , then for x kg it loses $$x/10*(1.375) kg$$

for 5 kg of Silver it loses 0.375 kg , then for y kg it loses $$y/5*(0.375) kg$$

now both of these weights should be equal to 2 kg-->> $$x/10*(1.375)+y/5*(0.375)=2$$

$$x=20-y$$---->$$(20-y)/10*1.375+y/5*0.375=2$$

Solve for y, then $$y=7.5/0.625$$.

$$x=20-(7.5/0.625)---->x=5/0.625$$

$$x/y=5/0.625/7.5/0.625$$-------->$$x/y=5/7.5----->x/y=2/3.$$

Ans E
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Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg [#permalink]

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14 Jan 2018, 12:40
Hi All,

This question can be solved by TESTing THE ANSWERS.

Since we're told that the total weight of the metal bar is 20 kg, and the additional information is in 10 kg and 5 kg 'increments', I want to do a quick hypothetical calculation of a 20 kg bar that is exactly 10 kg tin and 10 kg silver....

10 kg tin = loses 1.375 kg of water
10 kg silver = loses 2(.375) = .750 kg of water
This 'mix' of metals (1:1) will lose... 1.375 + .75 = 2.125 kg of water.... This is pretty close to the 2 kg that it's supposed to be, but it's a little too much. Thus, we need a little more silver and a little less tin. Looking at the answer choices, the closest ratio to 1:1 is Answer E (2:3) - so let's TEST that Answer...

Tin:Silver in a 2:3 ratio gives us....
8 kg of tin and 12 kg of silver....
8 kg of tin = (8/10)(1.375) = (8/10)(11/8) = 88/80 = 11/10 kg of water lost
12 kg of silver = (12/10)(.750) = (12/10)(3/4) = 36/40 = 9/10 kg of water lost
11/10 + 9/10 = 20/10 = 2 kg... This is an exact match for what we were told, so this MUST be the answer.

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Re: A 20 kg metal bar made of alloy of tin and silver lost 2 kg   [#permalink] 14 Jan 2018, 12:40
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