Jar X is 16 full of water. Jar Y, which has half the capacity of Jar X

I think that the fastest way to solve this problem might be to assign values (numbers) for Jar X and Jar Y. So we can let Jar X have a capacity of 6 litres and Jar Y (which has half the capacity of Jar X) have the capacity of 3 litres of water. Jar X is a 1/6 full - so it contains 1 litre of water and Jar Y is 1/2 full so it contains 1.5 litres of water. Therefore if the contents of Jar X are transferred to Jar Y, that means that Jar Y will now be (1 + 1.5) = 2.5 Litres full. Thus Jar Y would be filled till 2.5/3 litres of its capacity which is equivalent to (5/2)/3 = 5/6.

I think the answer is D!

Please consider giving me KUDOS if you felt this post was helpful! Thanks.

Hi kdatt,
you could have made it more easier and safer by taking values which dont get you decimals....
decimals can unknowingly lead to wrong ans while solving...
so value of X could have been 12, and Y,6....

Let Jar X capacity = 12 units
Let Jar Y capacity = 6 units

Jar X currently contains 2 units (12 multiplied by 1/6)
Jar Y currently contains 3 units (6 multiplied by 1/2)

pouring X into Y results in 2+3=5

5/6

Answer: D

Answer = D = 5/6

Let the size of Jar X = 1, then size of Jar Y \(= \frac{1}{2}\)

Water in Jar X \(= \frac{1}{6}\)

Water in Jar Y \(= \frac{1}{2*2} = \frac{1}{4}\)

Jar X water added in Jar Y \(= \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{6} = \frac{5}{12}\)

Required fraction for Jar Y \(= \frac{\frac{5}{12}}{\frac{1}{2}} = \frac{5}{6}\)

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Correct Answer: D

Plug in values for Jar X and Jar Y. To find a good number, multiply together the denominators of the two fractions in the problem; this will ensure that our calculations work nicely. If Jar X is 12 gallons, Jar Y would be 6 gallons. If Jar X is 1/6 full, it would contain 2 gallons of water. If Jar Y is 1/2 full, it would contain 3 gallons of water. Thus, when Jar X is poured into Jar Y, Jar Y would then have 5 gallons in it, which is 5/6 of its capacity, and the correct answer is (D).

To solve this problem algebraically, note that Jar X is 1/6 full, and Jar Y is 1/2 full. Because Jar Y is half as large as Jar X, Jar X is twice as large as Jar Y, so X = 2Y. 1/6 X must then equal 1/3 Y. Pouring Jar X into Jar Y means adding 1/3 Y (Jar X) to 1/2 Y (Jar Y), for a total of 5/6 Y.

We can let the capacity of Jar X = 12 and the the capacity of jar Y = 6.

So Jar X has 2 and Jar Y has 3.

If all of Jar X is poured into Jar Y, then Jar Y will be filled to 5/6 of capacity.

Answer: D

Assign a smart number for this problem. Let assign 12 ml of water to X and 6 ml of water to Y. So X is having 2 ml and Y is having 3 ml. if the contents of Jar X is poured into Jar Y,then jar Y is having total 3+2 i.e 5 ml of water which is 5/6 of it capacity.

Answer should be D.

Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.