GMAT Question of the Day - Daily to your Mailbox; hard ones only

 It is currently 22 Jan 2019, 23:35

### 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

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

## Events & Promotions

###### Events & Promotions in January
PrevNext
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
303112345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
Open Detailed Calendar
• ### The winners of the GMAT game show

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019

10:00 PM PST

11:00 PM PST

In case you didn’t notice, we recently held the 1st ever GMAT game show and it was awesome! See who won a full GMAT course, and register to the next one.
• ### Key Strategies to Master GMAT SC

January 26, 2019

January 26, 2019

07:00 AM PST

09:00 AM PST

Attend this webinar to learn how to leverage Meaning and Logic to solve the most challenging Sentence Correction Questions.

# At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52404
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

08 Jul 2017, 04:25
1
00:00

Difficulty:

55% (hard)

Question Stats:

57% (01:12) correct 43% (01:11) wrong based on 210 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

_________________
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 7212
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

08 Jul 2017, 04:33
Bunuel wrote:
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

We are looking at a ratio. So it could be any numbers in that ratio.
For getting new ratio, most of the time it requires some numeric value to it or change in ratio for both .

Let's see the statements

1) store sold 2 dogs that day.
But we do not the numeric values of dog and cat or the ratios
Insuff
2)store sold 1/3 cats.
Again no numeric value for both and no info on change in ratio of dog
Insufficient

Combined..
Nothing much on NUMERIC value..
Ratio is 5x-2:2x....
Insuff

E
_________________

1) Absolute modulus : http://gmatclub.com/forum/absolute-modulus-a-better-understanding-210849.html#p1622372
2)Combination of similar and dissimilar things : http://gmatclub.com/forum/topic215915.html
3) effects of arithmetic operations : https://gmatclub.com/forum/effects-of-arithmetic-operations-on-fractions-269413.html

GMAT online Tutor

Senior Manager
Joined: 06 Jul 2016
Posts: 367
Location: Singapore
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

08 Jul 2017, 09:27
Bunuel wrote:
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

This sentence is a little confusing, but shouldn't it be the following. "The only animals that were left were those that were NOT sold?"

With regards to the question.

Old Ratio
D:C = 5:3 => D = 5x and C = 3x

New Ratio
D:C =?

1) 2 dogs sold that day
If x = 1, then D = 5 and C = 3
2 dogs sold, so the new ratio D : C = 3 : 3
If x = 2, then D = 10 and C = 6
2 dogs sold, so the new ratio D : C = 8 : 6

2) (1/3) of total cats were sold.
If x = 1, then D = 5 and C = 3
(1/3) of 3 = 1, so the new ratio D : C = 5 : 2
If x = 2, then D = 10 and C = 6
(1/3) of 6 = 2, so the new ratio D : C = 10 : 4
If x = 3, then D = 15 and C = 9
(1/3) of 9 = 3, so the new ratio D : C = 15 : 6

This is keeping the number of dogs constant. If even 1 dog is sold, the ratio changes.
Insufficient.

(1 + 2)
Same above.
x= 1 ; D = 5 , C = 3
New Ratio = 3:2

x = 2 : D = 10 , C = 6
New Ratio = 8 : 4

Insufficient.

Edited Post.
_________________

Put in the work, and that dream score is yours!

Manager
Joined: 24 Jan 2017
Posts: 144
GMAT 1: 640 Q50 V25
GMAT 2: 710 Q50 V35
GPA: 3.48
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

09 Jul 2017, 18:41
At the beginning of the day: number of dogs/number of cats = 5x/3x (x is a positive integer)

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = (5x-2)/3x

Depending on particular values of x, we will get different ratios. For example:
x = 1 --> dogs/cats = 3/3
x = 2 --> dogs/cats = 8/6

ELIMINATE (A) and (D). KEEP (B), (C) and (E)

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

--> The number of cats sold: (1/3)3x = x
--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = 5x/(3x-x) = 5x/2x = 5/2
For whatever values of x, we always get sufficient answers => Sufficient statement

(B) IS CORRECT!
Intern
Joined: 15 Jul 2013
Posts: 6
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

09 Jul 2017, 20:33
1
Lucy Phuong wrote:
At the beginning of the day: number of dogs/number of cats = 5x/3x (x is a positive integer)

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = (5x-2)/3x

Depending on particular values of x, we will get different ratios. For example:
x = 1 --> dogs/cats = 3/3
x = 2 --> dogs/cats = 8/6

ELIMINATE (A) and (D). KEEP (B), (C) and (E)

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

--> The number of cats sold: (1/3)3x = x
--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = 5x/(3x-x) = 5x/2x = 5/2
For whatever values of x, we always get sufficient answers => Sufficient statement

(B) IS CORRECT!

Hi.
In statement 2 there is no information regarding number of dogs sold... So B is insufficient.
I think E should be answer.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
Manager
Joined: 24 Jan 2017
Posts: 144
GMAT 1: 640 Q50 V25
GMAT 2: 710 Q50 V35
GPA: 3.48
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

09 Jul 2017, 21:42
kedarsharma wrote:
Lucy Phuong wrote:
At the beginning of the day: number of dogs/number of cats = 5x/3x (x is a positive integer)

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = (5x-2)/3x

Depending on particular values of x, we will get different ratios. For example:
x = 1 --> dogs/cats = 3/3
x = 2 --> dogs/cats = 8/6

ELIMINATE (A) and (D). KEEP (B), (C) and (E)

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

--> The number of cats sold: (1/3)3x = x
--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = 5x/(3x-x) = 5x/2x = 5/2
For whatever values of x, we always get sufficient answers => Sufficient statement

(B) IS CORRECT!

Hi.
In statement 2 there is no information regarding number of dogs sold... So B is insufficient.
I think E should be answer.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Hi,

IMHO, your doubt could be justified to some extend. I will be inclined towards your line of thoughts IF the statement is written this way "2 dogs are sold that day". Reading that sentence, I will definitely question - how about cats? Is there any cat sold?

However, if the statement says "The store sold 2 dogs and no cats that day", I'll find the added "and no cats" unnecessary. That's why even when I reread the question, I still choose to think the same way as I did in my previous post.

Having said that, I think we shouldn't worry about this much because this question doesn't seems to be a GMAT-like one. Unless you are totally fresh in GMAT and have just practiced very few official question, you may agree with me that you've never ever faced the same issue, right?

Just my personal sharing. Hope this helps.
Senior Manager
Joined: 23 Jun 2012
Posts: 380
Location: Pakistan
GPA: 3.76
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

09 Jul 2017, 22:42
1
Lucy Phuong wrote:
At the beginning of the day: number of dogs/number of cats = 5x/3x (x is a positive integer)

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = (5x-2)/3x

Depending on particular values of x, we will get different ratios. For example:
x = 1 --> dogs/cats = 3/3
x = 2 --> dogs/cats = 8/6

ELIMINATE (A) and (D). KEEP (B), (C) and (E)

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

--> The number of cats sold: (1/3)3x = x
--> At the end of the day: dogs/cats = 5x/(3x-x) = 5x/2x = 5/2
For whatever values of x, we always get sufficient answers => Sufficient statement

(B) IS CORRECT!

Lucy first of All statement B only tells us about cats and no other information about dogs so yes this information is incomplete
Taking together two statements, one cant find the right answer why? because everything depends on the value of x and when x changes, the value of ratio changes
we have 5x/3x initially
statement 1 says that 2 dogs were sold so 5x will become 5x-2
statement 2 says 1/3 cats were sold so we can write this as 1/3(3x) = x
now combine the above two and u will get 5x-2/x-----> whenever u will change the value of x, you will get a new ratio
_________________

Push yourself again and again. Don't give an inch until the final buzzer sounds. -Larry Bird
Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared. -Sparky Anderson
-S

Manager
Joined: 24 Jan 2017
Posts: 144
GMAT 1: 640 Q50 V25
GMAT 2: 710 Q50 V35
GPA: 3.48
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

10 Jul 2017, 01:23
sananoor wrote:
Lucy first of All statement B only tells us about cats and no other information about dogs so yes this information is incomplete
Taking together two statements, one cant find the right answer why? because everything depends on the value of x and when x changes, the value of ratio changes
we have 5x/3x initially
statement 1 says that 2 dogs were sold so 5x will become 5x-2
statement 2 says 1/3 cats were sold so we can write this as 1/3(3x) = x
now combine the above two and u will get 5x-2/x-----> whenever u will change the value of x, you will get a new ratio

Hi saranoor,

As I said in my latest post, I understand why (E) could be the answer. The key point leading to different answers lies on different ways of interpretation of the provided statements. If the statement is written the other way as I suggested above, I will definitely mark choice (E). Please read my previous post responding to another one for more information. Thanks.

It's all about my personal thought. I could be right, I could be wrong also. At the end of the day, this question is, to me, not like a GMAT question, and as expert GMATNinja advised, let's spend our precious time discussing official questions instead.

If OA is E, I will take the experience and move on.

p/s: I remember we talked on chat box yesterday... thanks for your interesting questions... will join again when I have time
EMPOWERgmat Instructor
Status: GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Posts: 13375
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

05 Jun 2018, 15:37
1
Hi pranayeekarmakar,

When posting Quant and Verbal questions, you should make sure to post them in the proper sub-forum. For example, the DS sub-forum can be found here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/data-sufficiency-ds-141/

Here's a hint so that you can reattempt this question on your own: based on the given information, the STARTING ratio of dogs to cats was 5:3. This means that the initial number of dogs MUST be a multiple of 5 and the initial number of cats MUST be an equivalent multiple of 3. For example:

5 dogs and 3 cats
10 dogs and 6 cats
15 dogs and 9 cats
Etc.

Based on the information in the two Facts, with the answer to this question change based on the starting number of animals, or will it stay the same?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
_________________

760+: Learn What GMAT Assassins Do to Score at the Highest Levels
Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com

# Rich Cohen

Co-Founder & GMAT Assassin

Special Offer: Save \$75 + GMAT Club Tests Free
Official GMAT Exam Packs + 70 Pt. Improvement Guarantee
www.empowergmat.com/

*****Select EMPOWERgmat Courses now include ALL 6 Official GMAC CATs!*****

Senior PS Moderator
Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Posts: 3334
Location: India
GPA: 3.12
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Jun 2018, 10:32
pranayeekarmakar wrote:
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold $$\frac{1}{3}$$ of its cats that day.

Hi pranayeekarmakar

From the question stem, we are able to figure out that for every 5x dogs, we will have 3x cats.

1. This statement has no information about the cats. A total of 2 dogs are sold (Insufficient)

2. This statement has no information about the dogs We are told that $$\frac{1}{3}$$rd of the dogs are sold.
In the end, we would be left have $$\frac{2}{3}*3x = 2x$$ dogs. (Insufficient)

When we combine the information present in both the statements, we can't arrive at a
unique ratio of the cats and dogs at the end of the day(after the cats and dogs are sold
because we don't know the initial number of cats and dogs in the store (Insufficient - Option E)

P.S Have moved your question to the appropriate forum.
These are the RULES which you need to follow while posting questions.
_________________

You've got what it takes, but it will take everything you've got

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52404
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

08 Jun 2018, 01:27
pranayeekarmakar wrote:
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold $$\frac{1}{3}$$ of its cats that day.

Merging topics.

Please follow the rules when posting a question: https://gmatclub.com/forum/rules-for-po ... 33935.html Thank you.
_________________
Intern
Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 11
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

12 Oct 2018, 11:02
chetan2u wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the ratio of 5 to 3. If no new animals were added to the store and the only animals that left were those that were sold, what was the ratio of dogs to cats at the end of the day?

(1) The store sold 2 dogs that day.

(2) The store sold 1/3 of its cats that day.

We are looking at a ratio. So it could be any numbers in that ratio.
For getting new ratio, most of the time it requires some numeric value to it.

Let's see the statements

1) store sold 2 dogs that day.
But we do not the numeric values of dog and cat
Insuff
2)store sold 1/3 cats.
Again no numeric value
Insufficient

Combined..
Nothing much on NUMERIC value..
Ratio is 5x-2:2x....
Insuff

E

The problem with (2) is not that it does not give a numerical value, remember that it is a ratio, the problem is that it does not give you any info about the dogs, if dogs were to remain constant this statement would be sufficient...
Intern
Joined: 02 Jul 2014
Posts: 7
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

03 Nov 2018, 19:40
brunel chetan2u

Hi Brunel,

As per the second statement, 1/3 of the cats were sold. So remaining cats should be 2/3. Now it is given that number of cats were 3x. So 2x cats remained at the end of the days. And since no dogs were sold, So dogs should be 5x.

So the ratio should be 5x:2x. Sufficient.

Please let me know where I am going wrong.
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 7212
Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

04 Nov 2018, 00:52
ronnieshee wrote:
brunel chetan2u

Hi Brunel,

As per the second statement, 1/3 of the cats were sold. So remaining cats should be 2/3. Now it is given that number of cats were 3x. So 2x cats remained at the end of the days. And since no dogs were sold, So dogs should be 5x.

So the ratio should be 5x:2x. Sufficient.

Please let me know where I am going wrong.

We do not know anything about number of dogs sold..
_________________

1) Absolute modulus : http://gmatclub.com/forum/absolute-modulus-a-better-understanding-210849.html#p1622372
2)Combination of similar and dissimilar things : http://gmatclub.com/forum/topic215915.html
3) effects of arithmetic operations : https://gmatclub.com/forum/effects-of-arithmetic-operations-on-fractions-269413.html

GMAT online Tutor

Re: At the beginning of the day, a pet store had dogs and cats in the rati &nbs [#permalink] 04 Nov 2018, 00:52
Display posts from previous: Sort by