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Differences between the two formulas for advanced overlapping sets [#permalink]
Expert Reply
vvv000 wrote:
Hello everyone!

I am currently trying to understand the two formulas for the advances overlapping sets (Venn diagrams of three sets), and I don't really understand the two formulas.

Tot = A + B + C - (sum of 2 group overlaps) + (all 3) + neither
Tot = A + B + C - (sum of EXACTLY 2 group overlaps) - 2 (all 3) + neither
What is the main difference between the two? Can both be applied to the same problem?

Thank you so much for your time and attetion!


You determine which of these to use by determining *how the problem gives you information about the 'two group' overlap.* If the problem says "10 things were A and B," that also includes some that were A, B, and C. If the problem says "10 of the things are ONLY A and B," that does not include the C.

When building the three overlapping set diagram, the thing to really keep track of is 'how many times each section gets counted,' and make your math reflect that. Memorizing these formulas is fine, but you don't really even need to if you just get good at building your model well.

This blog post might help: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/how-to-handle-3-group-overlapping-sets-on-the-gmat/
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Re: Differences between the two formulas for advanced overlapping sets [#permalink]
Expert Reply
vvv000 wrote:
Hello everyone!

I am currently trying to understand the two formulas for the advances overlapping sets (Venn diagrams of three sets), and I don't really understand the two formulas.

Tot = A + B + C - (sum of 2 group overlaps) + (all 3) + neither
Tot = A + B + C - (sum of EXACTLY 2 group overlaps) - 2 (all 3) + neither
What is the main difference between the two? Can both be applied to the same problem?

Thank you so much for your time and attetion!


In the first formula, to calculate "sum of 2 group overlaps", you should add the number of elements that belong to A and B, A and C, and B and C; whereas in the second formula, to calculate "sum of exactly 2 group overlaps", you should add A and B but not C, A and C but not B, and B and C but not A.

Most questions can be solved using either formula, but usually, depending on the information given in the question, it makes sense to choose one of the formulas over the other. For instance, if the question gives you the number of elements in "exactly 2 group overlaps" and if you know the number of elements in the triple overlap, you can determine the number of elements in "2 group overlaps" by adding three times the triple overlap to the exactly 2 groups overlaps, but clearly it makes more sense to use the formula which mentions "exactly 2 group overlaps".
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Re: Differences between the two formulas for advanced overlapping sets [#permalink]

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