Last visit was: 24 Apr 2025, 19:30 It is currently 24 Apr 2025, 19:30
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
Fish181
Joined: 13 Dec 2023
Last visit: 22 Jan 2025
Posts: 137
Own Kudos:
655
 [51]
Given Kudos: 53
Status:Applying in R1 of 2024 to t15
Affiliations: University of Tennessee
Location: United States (CO)
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
GMAT Focus 1: 605 Q76 V84 DI80
GMAT Focus 2: 615 Q78 V86 DI78
GPA: 3.62
WE:Analyst (Consumer Packaged Goods)
GMAT Focus 2: 615 Q78 V86 DI78
Posts: 137
Kudos: 655
 [51]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
47
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Fish181
Joined: 13 Dec 2023
Last visit: 22 Jan 2025
Posts: 137
Own Kudos:
655
 [18]
Given Kudos: 53
Status:Applying in R1 of 2024 to t15
Affiliations: University of Tennessee
Location: United States (CO)
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
GMAT Focus 1: 605 Q76 V84 DI80
GMAT Focus 2: 615 Q78 V86 DI78
GPA: 3.62
WE:Analyst (Consumer Packaged Goods)
GMAT Focus 2: 615 Q78 V86 DI78
Posts: 137
Kudos: 655
 [18]
18
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
RenB
Joined: 13 Jul 2022
Last visit: 13 Apr 2025
Posts: 394
Own Kudos:
1,075
 [10]
Given Kudos: 300
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Nonprofit
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q90 V84 DI82
GPA: 3.74
WE:Corporate Finance (Non-Profit and Government)
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q90 V84 DI82
Posts: 394
Kudos: 1,075
 [10]
6
Kudos
Add Kudos
4
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2025
Posts: 11,321
Own Kudos:
40,257
 [5]
Given Kudos: 333
Status:Math and DI Expert
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 11,321
Kudos: 40,257
 [5]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
 
Fish181
­For each of the last 100 days at a certain factory, Light A was either on or off for that day, and likewise for Light B. Each day that Light A was off, Light B was also off. Each day that Light B was on, Light A was also on. In addition, for exactly 40 of the last 100 days, at least one of the lights was on, and for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, both of the lights were on.

Assume one of the last 100 days is chosen at random. Select for P(A) the probability that on the chosen day Light A was on, and select for P(B) the probability that on the chosen day Light B was on. Make only two selections, one in each column.­
We are told that the lights A and B are either ON or OFF each of the last 100 days,

If A was off, then B was off, meaning B on implies A on. Each of the different colored sentence above implies the same thing and just one would also be enough.

If B on then A on means, whenever a light is on, it has to be A, with B or without B.

­In addition, for exactly 40 of the last 100 days, at least one of the lights was on, => So A was ON for 40 days, and P(A) = 40/100 or 0.40
for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, both of the lights were on. => So, B was ON for 20 days, and P(B) = 20/100 or 0.20
General Discussion
User avatar
8Harshitsharma
Joined: 25 Oct 2017
Last visit: 22 Apr 2025
Posts: 140
Own Kudos:
121
 [1]
Given Kudos: 723
GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q87 V80 DI80
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GRE 1: Q165 V160
GRE 2: Q170 V162
GPA: 9.25
GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q87 V80 DI80
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GRE 1: Q165 V160
GRE 2: Q170 V162
Posts: 140
Kudos: 121
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
 
Fish181
­For each of the last 100 days at a certain factory, Light A was either on or off for that day, and likewise for Light B. Each day that Light A was off, Light B was also off. Each day that Light B was on, Light A was also on. In addition, for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, at least one of the lights was on, and for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, both of the lights were on.

Assume one of the last 100 days is chosen at random. Select for P(A) the probability that on the chosen day Light A was on, and select for P(B) the probability that on the chosen day Light B was on. Make only two selections, one in each column.
­Dude at least double-check once whether you have pasted the problem properly. This leads people to waste their precious time trying to solve an incorrectly copied problem.

The highlighted part should be: for exactly 40 of the last 100 days at least one of the lights was on,

Thanks
User avatar
8Harshitsharma
Joined: 25 Oct 2017
Last visit: 22 Apr 2025
Posts: 140
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 723
GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q87 V80 DI80
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GRE 1: Q165 V160
GRE 2: Q170 V162
GPA: 9.25
GMAT Focus 1: 655 Q87 V80 DI80
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GRE 1: Q165 V160
GRE 2: Q170 V162
Posts: 140
Kudos: 121
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Well, my apologies if I offended you. It was just a feedback because 10 odd people had attempted the problem then and I felt the need to point this out because almost all of them had gotten it wrong but didn’t post anything to update.

I am still learning the know-hows of the forum, so I am unable to contri by posting questions. But I have been posting answers lately. So to each their own.

Thanks and my regards

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
sayan640
Joined: 29 Oct 2015
Last visit: 22 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,206
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 779
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Products:
GMAT 1: 570 Q42 V28
Posts: 1,206
Kudos: 679
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
MartyMurray KarishmaB Can you please help me on this question ?

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
MartyMurray
Joined: 11 Aug 2023
Last visit: 24 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,416
Own Kudos:
4,403
 [5]
Given Kudos: 138
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Posts: 1,416
Kudos: 4,403
 [5]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
­For each of the last 100 days at a certain factory, Light A was either on or off for that day, and likewise for Light B. Each day that Light A was off, Light B was also off. Each day that Light B was on, Light A was also on. In addition, for exactly 40 of the last 100 days, at least one of the lights was on, and for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, both of the lights were on.

Assume one of the last 100 days is chosen at random. Select for P(A) the probability that on the chosen day Light A was on, and select for P(B) the probability that on the chosen day Light B was on. Make only two selections, one in each column.­


Information we are given:

100 days

Each day that Light A was off, Light B was also off.

Each day that Light B was on, Light A was also on.


We need to notice a few key things about the above two statements:

- They mean the same thing. After all, if B is off when A is off, then if B is on, A is on.

- They are about only when both lights are on or off.

- They indicate that, whenever B is on, both are on.

- They don't say that whenever A is on, B is on. In other words, given those statements, A can be on by itself.

for exactly 40 of the last 100 days, at least one of the lights was on

for exactly 20 of the last 100 days, both of the lights were on

This question may seem hard, but if we see some key things, answering it becomes relatively straightforward.

The keyword "exactly" in "exactly 20 days" tells us that, on 20 days and no more than 20 days, both were on.

Thus, since both are on when B is on, B could have been on only on the 20 days on which both were on. 

Then, the 20 days must overlap the 40 days since, when "both of the lights are on," it's also true that "at least one of the lights was on."

Thus, since B can't be on when A is not on but there's no information indicating that A can't be on when B is not on, A must have been on on the other 20 days when B was not on, in addition to being on on the 20 days when both were on.

So, A was on for 20 + 20 = 40/100 days, and B was on for 20/100 days, and this question turned out to be more of a logic question than a math question. 

0.08

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.52


Select 0.40 for P(A) and 0.20 for P(B).

Correct answer: 0.40, 0.20­
User avatar
mollyweasley
Joined: 15 Oct 2020
Last visit: 18 Apr 2025
Posts: 38
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 8
Posts: 38
Kudos: 30
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
tough one! got tripped up by assuming that A on = B on; and A off=B off. Gotta be so careful!
Moderators:
Math Expert
100914 posts
GMAT Expert
11321 posts
DI Forum Moderator
657 posts