carcass wrote:
Sixshipments of machine parts were shipped from a factory on two trucks, with each shipment entirelyon one of the trucks. Each shipment was labeled either SI, S2, S3, S4, S5, or S6. The table shows the value of each shipment as a fraction of the total value of the six shipments. Ifthe shipments on the first truck had avalue greater than 1/2 of the total value of the six shipments, was S3 shipped on the first truck?
(1) S2 and S4 were shipped on the first truck.
(2) SI and S6 were shipped on the second truck.
The good news is that I was on the right path untill the end though I Picked A not B.
I would like to know the real point of this question.
Regards
to avoid fraction, lets first pick a number such as 120 for total value. Thus
S1 = 30, S2= 24, S3= 20, S4=9,S5=16, S6=12
Now we are told first truck had greater than 1/2 of total value = more than 60
And we want to know if S3 is part of this.
Statement 1: S2 and S4 were on first truck = 24+9 = 35
But we know that First truck had more than 60, so it could have additional, S1 or , S1+S3, or S3+S5 etc combinations. Not sufficient.
Statement 2: S1 and S6 were on second truck = 30+12 = 42
Therefore, if S3 was also to be on second truck, total on second truck would be 42+20 =62. So Maximum on first truck could be 120-62= 58 (less than 1/2)
Which is not possible. Hence we can conclusively say S3 was not on second truck. Sufficient.
Ans B it is!