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655-705 Level|   Graphs|      
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ashutosh_73
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 17 Apr 2024, 05:01
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Dropdown 1: 2014 Dropdown 2: 2012
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Difficulty:

55% (hard)

Question Stats:

63% (02:07) correct 37% (02:45) wrong based on 1731 sessions

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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the number of employees of a certain company during that year, together with the total amount paid by the company in compensation to its employees during that year.

Select from each drop-down menu the option that completes the statement so that it has the most support from the information provided.

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was GREATEST was 

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was LEAST was 
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Dropdown 1: 2014 Dropdown 2: 2012
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KarishmaB
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 23 Apr 2025, 22:47
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ashutosh_73



For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the number of employees of a certain company during that year, together with the total amount paid by the company in compensation to its employees during that year.

Select from each drop-down menu the option that completes the statement so that it has the most support from the information provided.

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was GREATEST was

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was LEAST was
Show Spoiler
Attachment:
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Observe that for three of the data points (2011, 2013 and 2015), number of employees and dollars (ignore millions) are at the same point.
So notice on the y axis, the 200 - 10 horizontal line. If compensation is 10 and number of employees is 200, the compensation per employee is 0.05.
Now notice the 400 - 20 horizontal line. If compensation is 20 and number of employees is 400, the compensation per employee is 0.05.
This will be true for all values on the graph. So every time, number of employees and dollars coincide, the compensation per employee is 0.05.

But when dollar point is higher than number of employees point (2014), it means compensation per employee is more than 0.05.
and when dollar point is lower than number of employees point (2012), it means compensation per employee is less than 0.5.

That is why you straight away get your answer as 2014 and 2012 respectively.
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 17 Apr 2024, 05:15
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ashutosh_73



For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the number of employees of a certain company during that year, together with the total amount paid by the company in compensation to its employees during that year.

Select from each drop-down menu the option that completes the statement so that it has the most support from the information provided.

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was GREATEST was 

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was LEAST was 
Show more
­
Hi chetan2u , Although this is a simple question, i just wanted to understand whether my approach is reliable.

During mock, because i was pressed for time, i didn't do extensive calculation, rather i visualised the graph and marked the below highlighted data points as answer.
I thought: ''Except in 2014, in other years ''dollar graph is either below OR on the top of the employee graph, hence should be greatest

But now, i am wondering, whether this process is even reliable? Would it work everytime or i will have to rely on calculation?


Show Spoiler
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GMAT-Club-Forum-d0ew9k19.png
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Attachment:
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General Discussion
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 17 Apr 2024, 06:49
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Yes, you were correct because the scale is 50million/100 or 50k.
So line at top of each column would always give same ratio.
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 18 Apr 2024, 05:09
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chetan2u
Yes, you were correct because the scale is 50million/100 or 50k.
So line at top of each column would always give same ratio.
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Hi ­chetan2u, I am sorry, but i didn't get the ''scale'' part. 
How do we know that line at the top will ''always give same ratio''? 
In for ration (X/Y) to be same, it must be multiplied with the same multiplier, right? I am confused here!
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 03 May 2024, 03:55
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ashutosh_73

chetan2u
Yes, you were correct because the scale is 50million/100 or 50k.
So line at top of each column would always give same ratio.
Hi ­chetan2u, I am sorry, but i didn't get the ''scale'' part. 
How do we know that line at the top will ''always give same ratio''? 
In for ration (X/Y) to be same, it must be multiplied with the same multiplier, right? I am confused here!
Show more
­Hi there,

I am no expert. However, looking at the graph one can see that there is a ratio between the left vertical axis (no of employees) and the right vertical axis (millions of dollars), which comes out to be 20 per mil. 

For example, suppose that in the year 2011, the no. of employees is 200; then the compensation point should be at the top of the bar, i.e., 10 million dollars. If you calculate the ratio it comes out to be = 200/10 mil == 20 per mil. You can do the same exercise for any other year, just by taking some comfortable values and you will be able to see a pattern.

This is the first time I have seen such a question; I am not sure what this method is particularly called.
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 16 May 2024, 22:15
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The total compensation is highest for 2013 and 2014 . They are at the same level. But the denominator i.e no. of employees is slightly smaller ( the height of the vertical bar) for 2014. Hence avg. compensation per employee is highest for 2014.
Others can be ruled out easily.
The compensation is on the lower side for 2011 , 2012 and 2015.
But for 2012 , the bar indicating number of employees is tallest among the three.
Hence , avg. compensation per employee is least for 2012 because the denominator is biggest for it ; hence the fraction is smallest.­
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 22 Apr 2025, 22:46
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hi Bunuel KarishmaB GMATNinja Bismuth83 chetan2u - can someone explain what would be a good and efficient method to approach these type of questions, smart inferences to make, and so on? I solved the manual way and spent excessive time which I want to cut down on..thank you! :)
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 29 Jun 2025, 15:16
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I did the same! Did you confirm if this is reliable?

ashutosh_73
ashutosh_73



For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the number of employees of a certain company during that year, together with the total amount paid by the company in compensation to its employees during that year.

Select from each drop-down menu the option that completes the statement so that it has the most support from the information provided.

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was GREATEST was

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was LEAST was
­
Hi chetan2u , Although this is a simple question, i just wanted to understand whether my approach is reliable.

During mock, because i was pressed for time, i didn't do extensive calculation, rather i visualised the graph and marked the below highlighted data points as answer.
I thought: ''Except in 2014, in other years ''dollar graph is either below OR on the top of the employee graph, hence should be greatest

But now, i am wondering, whether this process is even reliable? Would it work everytime or i will have to rely on calculation?


Show Spoiler
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-d0ew9k19.png
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-awuo0hr2.png
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For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the 23 Jul 2025, 20:58
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I mean logical reasoning is always applicable, especially in graph problems. The reason it works so quickly here is because the question asks for a ratio of easy to interpret data. In the future, its important to recognize these kinds of shortcuts when solving problems but your not likely to come across 20 second, no calculation problems like this one every time.
juliarajkovic
I did the same! Did you confirm if this is reliable?

ashutosh_73
ashutosh_73



For each year from 2011 through 2015, the graph shows the number of employees of a certain company during that year, together with the total amount paid by the company in compensation to its employees during that year.

Select from each drop-down menu the option that completes the statement so that it has the most support from the information provided.

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was GREATEST was

The year in which the average (arithmetic mean) annual compensation per employee was LEAST was
­
Hi chetan2u , Although this is a simple question, i just wanted to understand whether my approach is reliable.

During mock, because i was pressed for time, i didn't do extensive calculation, rather i visualised the graph and marked the below highlighted data points as answer.
I thought: ''Except in 2014, in other years ''dollar graph is either below OR on the top of the employee graph, hence should be greatest

But now, i am wondering, whether this process is even reliable? Would it work everytime or i will have to rely on calculation?


Show Spoiler
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-d0ew9k19.png
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-awuo0hr2.png
Show more
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