Ahmed, Farida, Tala, and Yousef are debating how to measure Summer Oly

Question

Ahmed, Farida, Tala, and Yousef are debating how to measure Summer Olympics achievement by countries.

Ahmed maintains that the best measure of overall Olympic achievement by a country is the most straightforward: a simple count of all medals won by that country.
Farida observes that more populous countries have more potential Olympic athletes and argues that a fair measure of overall Olympic achievement must in some way include consideration of a country’s population.
Tala argues that the only real Olympic achievement by an athlete is victory. Gold medals (for first place) should be counted; silver and bronze medals (for second and third place, respectively) should not.
Yousef recommends counting each silver medal as half a gold medal, and each bronze medal as half a silver medal.

columb2025 · Accepted Answer

For question 3, the graph tab talks of a point system which is also exactly what yousef says, in this graph for 2008, Country C is leading, in that case how do we conslude that yousef doesnt agree that country c is greatest achever, which is option D, am i missing something here ?
TIA

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. Suppose that another person, Aisha, asserts that weighted totals, calculated according to the method indicated in the Graph tab, should provide the sole criterion of Olympic achievement. For each of the following participants in the Discussion, select Compatible if the participant’s stated recommendation is compatible with Aisha’s measure of Olympic success. Otherwise, select Incompatible.

RO1

Ahmed believes that Olympic success should be measured by a simple count of all medals won by a country. Aisha’s method weights the medals according to type (gold, silver, or bronze) rather than simply counting them, so Ahmed’s method is not compatible with hers.

The correct answer is Incompatible.

RO2

Farida believes that to be fair, a measure of Olympic success must in some way include consideration of a country’s population. Since Aisha’s method includes no mention of population, Farida’s method is incompatible with hers.

The correct answer is Incompatible.

RO3

Yousef wants to count each silver medal as half a gold, and each bronze medal as half a silver. Aisha’s method assigns 4 points for each gold, 2 points for each silver, and 1 point for each bronze, which satisfies and is therefore compatible with Yousef’s criteria.

The correct answer is Compatible.

2. For each of the following measures of Olympic achievement by countries, select Yes if the information given clearly indicates that 1 of the 6 countries discussed received a higher ranking than the other 5 by that measure in the year indicated, and which country this is. Otherwise, select No.

RO1

The graph provides Olympic medal information for 2004 but in total number of points, not total number of medals, where a gold medal is worth 4 points, a silver is worth 2 points, and a bronze is worth 1 point. Thus, several different total numbers of medals could yield the same point value. For example, the graph shows that Country C won 61 points in 2004. This number could be won by earning 61 bronze medals, 1 bronze medal plus 30 silver medals, 1 bronze medal plus 15 gold medals, or other combinations. There is not enough information to determine the total medal count of any country in 2004, nor which country won more total medals than any other country that year.

The correct answer is No.

RO2

Yousef wants to count each silver medal as half a gold, and each bronze medal as half a silver. In other words, a gold medal is one weighted medal, a silver is a weighted medal, and a bronze is a weighted medal. The ranking method described in the Graph tab assigns points in the same proportions as Yousef’s method: 4 points for each gold, half that amount (2 points) for each silver, and half again (1 point) for each bronze. One of Yousef’s weighted medals is therefore equivalent to 4 points on the graph—the value of one gold medal.

The graph shows that in 2008 Country C had more weighted medals (41÷4=10.25) than did Country D (16÷4=4) or Country H (24÷4=6). Furthermore, the information provided indicates that Countries B, E, and G have point totals lower than Country D in every year. Thus, the graph indicates that Country C had more weighted medals in 2008 than did any of the other five countries.

The correct answer is Yes.

RO3

As explained in the analysis of RO2, four points on the graph is equivalent to one weighted medal. Thus, in 2012 Country H had more weighted medals (44÷4=11) than did Country C (32÷4=8) or Country D (19÷4=4.75). Since Countries B, E, and G have point totals lower than Country D, Country H had more weighted medals in 2012 than did any of the other five countries.

The correct answer is Yes.

3. Suppose that the participants in the Discussion are aware of the information given in the table and the graph. Which of the following statements about the relative achievement in the 2008 Summer Olympics of the six countries referred to in the table and graph is most clearly supported?

Ahmed wants to rank countries by a simple count of all medals won. According to the Table, in 2008 Country C ranked first in total medals, so Ahmed would agree that Country C had the greatest achievement (A). Farida believes that a fair measure of Olympic achievement must in some way include consideration of a country’s population. Thus, she would accept only the per capita measurements on the Table tab. Although the table shows that Country B had the most gold medals per capita in 2008, it ranked last among the six countries for total medals per capita. Thus, it is not clear that Farida would agree that Country B had the greatest achievement (excluding B). Tala desires to count only gold medals. The Table shows that in 2008 Countries G and H tied for the most number of gold medals; therefore, Tala would not agree that Country E had the greatest achievement (excluding C). Yousef wants to weight countries’ medals, counting each silver medal as half a gold, and each bronze medal as half a silver. But it is unclear from the discussion whether Yousef would calculate these weightings per capita, which the table clearly indicates would put Country C second to County E in the rankings (excluding D). The language introducing the graph clearly indicates that under the weighted point system, which Yousef favors, Countries B, G, and E each had lower point totals than Country D (excluding E).

The correct answer is Ahmed would agree that Country C had the greatest achievement.

Apt0810 · Answer

1)Only Yousef is compatible with Aisha since Yousef quotes about the importance of all the three medals in ranking and also gives a strategy to decide about the points by giving an equivalent value to silver and bronze medals,while the other two (Ahmad & Farida) didn't talk about the importance of individual medals.

2)a)No,since we have the ranking based on total medals per capita and not on total medals and that too we just know the total points for 2004 and there are many possibilities between total number of medals and total number of points.

b)Yes,since we know the criteria given by Yousef so we can get the total points and then use Yousef's formula to get the exact count of individual medals and then decide the ranking in 2008.

c)Yes,since we know the criteria given by Yousef so we can get the total points and then use Yousef's formula to get the exact count of individual medals and then decide the ranking in 2012.

3)a)Yes,since per the table ,according to total number of medals country C is 1st,thus satisfying Ahmad's criteria.
b)No,since if we go by Farida's logic to include country's populationand we see total medals per capita,total gold medals per capita and weighted medals per capita than the ranking is different in all the criteria.
c)No,since Taka's logic says to count on gold medals and according to that G&H are achievers.
d & e) We cannot comment here because although Yousef talks about weighted medals concept but he doesn't talks about per capita sin e he doesn't want to include population so we cannot define an achiever here.

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Sneha2021 · Answer

KarishmaB

can you please explain question 2?
Total weighted medals in 2008, calculated as per Yousef’s recommendation.

I'm not able to understand how to calculate weighted model from total points given in graph.

Thank you for your help.

chetan2u · Answer

What Yousef wants:-
Total weighted medals is to consider a silver broze as 1/2 gold and bronze as 1/4 gold. Thus ratio of G:S:B = 1:(1/2):(1/4) = 4:2:1

And this is what is given in graph too, just that graph talks of point and not medals.

To convert points to number of gold medals, divide points by 4, as 4 points = gold medal.

KarishmaB · Answer

In Tab 1, Yousef says: Yousef recommends counting each silver medal as half a gold medal, and each bronze medal as half a silver medal. So he recommends giving different weights to different medals in the total score.

Look at Tab 3 - Graph
'Weighed medals' means gold, silver and bronze have different weightage in the total score. Gold medal has 4 points, silver has 2 and bronze has 1. So a silver medal has half the points of gold and a bronze medal has half the points of silver (as Yousef recommended). Hence in 2008, country C had maximum score under weighted medal measure.

KarishmaB · Answer

Question 2.

2. For each of the following measures of Olympic achievement by countries, select Yes if the information given clearly indicates that 1 of the 6 countries discussed received a higher ranking than the other 5 by that measure in the year indicated, and which country this is. Otherwise, select No.

Look at Tab 3. It has the table giving points tally of top 3 performers in each year. How are points calculated? 1 Gold medal = 4 points. 1 Silver = 2 points, 1 Bronze = 1 Point

Total number of medals received in 2004.

In 2004, C had 62 points and H had 47 say.
Does it mean C had more medals than H? No. 
C could have 15 gold and a silver medal while H could have 47 bronze medals. 
So we cannot find who had maximum total number of medals.

ANSWER: NO

Total weighted medals in 2008, calculated as per Yousef’s recommendation.

Yousef recommends counting each silver medal as half a gold medal, and each bronze medal as half a silver medal.
A gold medal is not equal to a silver medal. Hence to establish equivalency, we can say that 1 silver medal = 0.5 gold medal and 1 bronze = 0.25 gold. 
Imagine replacing every silver medal with half of a gold medal and every bronze medal with a quarter of a gold medal so that everything can be calculated in terms of gold medals. So we have made them comparable and hence can add them.

The points table does exactly this. It gives 4 points to Gold medals, 2 to Silver (counting it as half a Gold medal) and 1 to Bronze (counting it as half a Silver medal)
In 2008, C had 42 points and H had 25 points. So C had maximum of the weighted medals. 
Say C had 10 Gold and 1 Silver medal (as per points)
and Say H had 25 Bronze medals (as per points)

This means C has 10 + 0.5 weighted medals = 10.5 gold medals
and H has 25 * 0.25 = 6.25 gold medals

Since C has maximum points, it means it has maximum weighted medals.

ANSWER: YES

Total weighted medals in 2012, calculated as per Yousef’s recommendation.

Exactly same as above for 2012.

ANSWER: YES

Bhavya199999 · Answer

KarishmaB 
Shouldn't Q3's option D also be valid - according to the graph for 2008 which aligns with Yousef's strategy, Country C has the heighest points.

zermatt17 · Answer

Same question: According the graph, C in 2008 has the highest weight. Can anyone help explain?

bb · Answer

Hi. I agree that D would also be valid. The second table shows that country C got the most points based on Yousef's system.  However, the official explanation disagrees and states the following (which I do not agree with). I feel this is a questionable question unfortunately 😭

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:   
 Yousef wants to weight countries’ medals, counting each silver medal as half a gold, and each bronze medal as half a silver. But it is  unclear from the discussion whether Yousef would calculate these weightings per capita , which the table clearly indicates would put Country C second to County E in the rankings (excluding D)

I have added a note to the question to hopefully save some frustration for other test-takers. I agree with everyone here that #3 appears to have 2 correct answers, at least until someone much smarter can prove otherwise, which is always encouraged!

bb · Answer

I am not sure there is much learning here besides the fact that sometimes bad questions come up and on the GMAT they are likely experimental, so exactly! don't overthink it and move on to the next question. Don't burn all of your time on a single question. If it is experimental, it won't even count.

nikitathegreat · Answer

How is Q3 A - correct option? How are we counting the total no. of medals which according to Ahmed is an achievement?
In both graph and table, we get the points and rankings basis the weighted totals. How do we know what is the total medals?

bb · Answer

Look at the discussion above - there are issues with question 3. There is the official explanation as well, you can read through that too - all in this discussion

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	Ahmed would agree that Country C had the greatest achievement.
	Farida would agree that Country B had the greatest achievement.
	Tala would agree that Country E had the greatest achievement.
	Yousef would agree that Country C had the greatest achievement.
	Yousef would agree that Country E had the greatest achievement.

Ahmed, Farida, Tala, and Yousef are debating how to measure Summer Oly

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Ahmed, Farida, Tala, and Yousef are debating how to measure Summer Oly

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