Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 08:17 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 08:17
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
janchang
Joined: 03 Feb 2017
Last visit: 24 Dec 2018
Posts: 3
Own Kudos:
28
 [23]
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 3
Kudos: 28
 [23]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
18
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
fskilnik
Joined: 12 Oct 2010
Last visit: 03 Jan 2025
Posts: 883
Own Kudos:
1,884
 [3]
Given Kudos: 57
Status:GMATH founder
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 883
Kudos: 1,884
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
EgmatQuantExpert
User avatar
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Last visit: 02 Apr 2024
Posts: 3,657
Own Kudos:
20,880
 [1]
Given Kudos: 165
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 3,657
Kudos: 20,880
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
CrackverbalGMAT
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 4,846
Own Kudos:
9,182
 [3]
Given Kudos: 226
Affiliations: CrackVerbal
Location: India
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 4,846
Kudos: 9,182
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is a question of choices and hence is a question on combinations. Order does not matter.

\(^nC_r = \frac{n!}{(n-r)!*r!}\)

Important values to remember are that \(^nC_1 = n\), \(^nC_n = 1\) and \(^nC_0 = 1\)


Committee X has 4 members: Choosing one out of 4 = \(^4C_1 = 4\)

Committee Y has 5 members: Choosing one out of 5 = \(^5C_1 = 5\)


Since we need to ensure that one of each has to be chosen to create a task force, the even is not completed until one of each is chosen. Therefore we multiply the 2 values. The total possibilities = 4 * 5 = 20


Option D

Arun Kumar
User avatar
100mitra
Joined: 29 Apr 2019
Last visit: 06 Jul 2022
Posts: 707
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 49
Status:Learning
Posts: 707
Kudos: 634
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Correct option D - 20 [4C1 x 5C1 = 4x5 = 20]
User avatar
kelly_jacques
Joined: 16 Apr 2023
Last visit: 10 Jul 2023
Posts: 36
Given Kudos: 107
Location: Canada
Posts: 36
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Isn't there double counting happening here? i.e. we are counting picking member 1 from committee x and member 1 from committee y, and then again we are counting picking member 1 from committee y and member 1 from committee x?
User avatar
ArtemNYC
Joined: 24 Aug 2023
Last visit: 24 Nov 2023
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 50
Location: United States (NY)
Posts: 9
Kudos: 1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kelly_jacques
Isn't there double counting happening here? i.e. we are counting picking member 1 from committee x and member 1 from committee y, and then again we are counting picking member 1 from committee y and member 1 from committee x?

Hi! Actually, no. Please, read the best explanation above, which provides the number of combinations. This means that possible repetitions are excluded.
Also, we use the 4 times 5 because it is a condition to find a max possible variety of 2 combinations at once (using AND as a multiplicator).
avatar
ManifestDreamMBA
Joined: 17 Sep 2024
Last visit: 21 Feb 2026
Posts: 1,387
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 243
Posts: 1,387
Kudos: 897
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
X has 4 members, Y has 5 members
Options to choose 1 from each = 4*5 = 20
janchang
Committee X has 4 members, committee Y has 5 members, and these committees have no members in common. If a task force is to be formed consisting of one member of X and one member of Y, how many different task forces are possible?

A) 6
B) 9
C) 10
D) 20
E) 36
Moderators:
Math Expert
109814 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts