The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 : GMAT Problem Solving (PS)
Check GMAT Club Decision Tracker for the Latest School Decision Releases https://gmatclub.com/AppTrack

 It is currently 22 Feb 2017, 14:51

### 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

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

# Events & Promotions

###### Events & Promotions in June
Open Detailed Calendar

# The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Intern
Joined: 31 Oct 2010
Posts: 32
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 62 [3] , given: 25

The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 03:17
3
KUDOS
20
This post was
BOOKMARKED
00:00

Difficulty:

75% (hard)

Question Stats:

45% (01:56) correct 55% (01:08) wrong based on 541 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 unique consonants. Every noun in Simplastic has the structure CVCVC, where C stands for a consonant and V stands for a vowel. How many different nouns are possible in Simplastic?

A. 9
B. 12
C. 36
D. 72
E. 108
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

Last edited by Bunuel on 17 Jun 2012, 03:28, edited 1 time in total.
Edited the question
Intern
Joined: 31 Oct 2010
Posts: 32
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 62 [2] , given: 25

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 03:19
2
KUDOS
The answer is E because order does not matter making the combination 3*2*3*2*3?
Manager
Joined: 02 Nov 2010
Posts: 92
Location: india
WE 1: 1.3
Followers: 3

Kudos [?]: 25 [0], given: 15

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 03:44
108 is the answer if we assume that repetition is allowed,but how do we know whether repn is allowed or not if question doesnt mention anything
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 37083
Followers: 7243

Kudos [?]: 96333 [1] , given: 10737

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 04:46
1
KUDOS
Expert's post
4
This post was
BOOKMARKED
mmcooley33 wrote:
The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 unique consonants. Every noun in Simplastic has the structure CVCVC, where C stands for a consonant and V stands for a vowel. How many different nouns are possible in Simplastic?

a.9
b.12
c.36
d.72
e.108

mmcooley33 wrote:
The answer is E because order does not matter making the combination 3*2*3*2*3?

The nouns have fixed structure C-V-C-V-C. Now, each C can take 3 values (let's say X, Y or Z) and each V can take 2 values (let's say A or E), so there will be 3*2*3*2*3=108 nouns possible.

It's basically the same if it were how many different 5-digit numbers are possible with the following structure odd-even-odd-even-odd, where odd numbers can be only 1, 3 or 5 and even numbers only 2 and 4.

108 is the answer if we assume that repetition is allowed, but how do we know whether repn is allowed or not if question doesnt mention anything

It's natural to think that a noun can have for example two same vowels (X-A-Y-A-Z) or 3 same consonants (X-A-X-A-X), so if this was not the case then this would be explicitly mentioned.
_________________
Manager
Joined: 04 May 2009
Posts: 67
Location: Astoria, NYC
Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 10 [0], given: 1

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 05:59
bunuel, what concept is this testing? I seem to not get the 3*2*3*2*3 aspect of your solution.
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 37083
Followers: 7243

Kudos [?]: 96333 [0], given: 10737

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2010, 06:11
anish319 wrote:
bunuel, what concept is this testing? I seem to not get the 3*2*3*2*3 aspect of your solution.

Consider simpler case, 2-letter code Consonant-Vowel, where we can use only B, C or D for a consonant (3 options) and only A or E for a vowel (2 options). How many codes are possible?

BA;
BE;
CA;
CE;
DA;
DE.

So, total of 6 codes, 3*2=6, are possible. This is called Principle of Multiplication: If one event can occur in $$m$$ ways and a second can occur independently of the first in $$n$$ ways, then the two events can occur in $$mn$$ ways.

Now, the above is just expanded to CVCVC structure in the original question.

Hope it's clear.
_________________
Director
Status: Verbal Forum Moderator
Joined: 17 Apr 2013
Posts: 635
Location: India
GMAT 1: 710 Q50 V36
GMAT 2: 750 Q51 V41
GMAT 3: 790 Q51 V49
GPA: 3.3
Followers: 70

Kudos [?]: 442 [0], given: 297

Re: MGMAT Challenge Test 1 #14 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

18 Sep 2013, 03:18
Bunuel wrote:
mmcooley33 wrote:
The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 unique consonants. Every noun in Simplastic has the structure CVCVC, where C stands for a consonant and V stands for a vowel. How many different nouns are possible in Simplastic?

a.9
b.12
c.36
d.72
e.108

mmcooley33 wrote:
The answer is E because order does not matter making the combination 3*2*3*2*3?

The nouns have fixed structure C-V-C-V-C. Now, each C can take 3 values (let's say X, Y or Z) and each V can take 2 values (let's say A or E), so there will be 3*2*3*2*3=108 nouns possible.

It's basically the same if it were how many different 5-digit numbers are possible with the following structure odd-even-odd-even-odd, where odd numbers can be only 1, 3 or 5 and even numbers only 2 and 4.

108 is the answer if we assume that repetition is allowed, but how do we know whether repn is allowed or not if question doesnt mention anything

It's natural to think that a noun can have for example two same vowels (X-A-Y-A-Z) or 3 same consonants (X-A-X-A-X), so if this was not the case then this would be explicitly mentioned.

Great questions, at one point when this situation will arise, wouldn't we divide it by -

3*2*3*2*3/3!X2!
_________________

Like my post Send me a Kudos It is a Good manner.
My Debrief: http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-score-750-and-750-i-moved-from-710-to-189016.html

Manager
Joined: 24 Apr 2013
Posts: 71
Location: United States
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 13 [0], given: 23

### Show Tags

20 Oct 2013, 05:04
My approach was as follows: 2 values and 3 constants can be counted as 2! * 3! = 12. I treated it as a counting problem with repeated values, why is this wrong?
_________________

Struggling: make or break attempt

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 37083
Followers: 7243

Kudos [?]: 96333 [0], given: 10737

### Show Tags

20 Oct 2013, 05:09
Expert's post
1
This post was
BOOKMARKED
Manager
Joined: 12 Sep 2014
Posts: 172
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41
GPA: 3.94
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 76 [0], given: 103

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

04 Oct 2014, 12:14
Answer is E. It just says any combination of CVCVC will work and so, calculate 3*2*3*2*3=108.

Doesn't mean 3*2*2*1*1, where you should subtract 1 each time. The letters can be re-used.
Intern
Joined: 16 May 2015
Posts: 46
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 9 [0], given: 11

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

26 May 2015, 18:59
Hi, do we need to account for the restriction that impose by the structure as C-V-C-V-C? as one V need to follow a C and we cant do C-C-C-V-V?
I am confused here..

And on top of it, when is it good to use the formula of combination and when we just use the method applied in this question ( like a number lock), thought believe that its the same concept?

Thank you..
Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Posts: 7182
Location: Pune, India
Followers: 2164

Kudos [?]: 14010 [1] , given: 222

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

26 May 2015, 19:35
1
KUDOS
Expert's post
1
This post was
BOOKMARKED
katzzzz wrote:
Hi, do we need to account for the restriction that impose by the structure as C-V-C-V-C? as one V need to follow a C and we cant do C-C-C-V-V?
I am confused here..

And on top of it, when is it good to use the formula of combination and when we just use the method applied in this question ( like a number lock), thought believe that its the same concept?

Thank you..

We are accounting for it by calculating only the number of ways of writing CVCVC. So the other arrangements of 3Cs and 2Vs are ignored.
You can write the first C in 3 ways.
You can write the next letter V in 2 ways.
The next letter is again C for which we again have 3 options (note that repetition of letters is not a problem)
The next letter V can be chosen in 2 ways.
The last letter C can be chosen in 3 ways again.
This gives us 3*2*3*2*3 = 108 ways.

You use the combination formula only when you have to select a few things out of many things. Here, no selection is required. Say, if there were 10 consonants and we had to make the nouns using 3 DISTINCT consonants, then we would have SELECTED 3 of the 10 (in 10C3 ways) and then arranged them in 3 places in 3! ways.
The method used in this question is the basic counting principle. It is used when you have distinct places for things. I suggest you to check out these posts:
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/10 ... inatorics/
http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/11 ... binations/
_________________

Karishma
Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor
My Blog

Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for $199 Veritas Prep Reviews Intern Joined: 16 May 2015 Posts: 46 Followers: 0 Kudos [?]: 9 [0], given: 11 Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 27 May 2015, 04:07 thank you! it really helps! for special seating arrangement ( A must proceed by B), guess we use the same approach here rather than the formula as we don't have to choose something from a group? Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Posts: 7182 Location: Pune, India Followers: 2164 Kudos [?]: 14010 [0], given: 222 Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink] ### Show Tags 27 May 2015, 18:59 Expert's post 1 This post was BOOKMARKED katzzzz wrote: thank you! it really helps! for special seating arrangement ( A must proceed by B), guess we use the same approach here rather than the formula as we don't have to choose something from a group? Yes, you use this concept for arrangements. Here is how you solve linear arrangements with constraints: http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/10 ... ts-part-i/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/10 ... s-part-ii/ _________________ Karishma Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor My Blog Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for$199

Veritas Prep Reviews

Manager
Joined: 13 Mar 2013
Posts: 118
Location: United States
GPA: 3.5
WE: Engineering (Telecommunications)
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 61 [0], given: 21

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 Jul 2015, 05:21
Hi Bunuel ,

for any question on combination in GMAT . if no condition is stated then can we say that ... repetition is allowed .

_________________

Regards ,

Manager
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 139
Concentration: Finance, Economics
GPA: 3.5
Followers: 0

Kudos [?]: 55 [0], given: 19

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 Jul 2015, 07:33
Vowels - 2, Consonants - 3.

c-v-c-v-c = 3*2*3*2*3 = 108. Ans (E).
_________________

I used to think the brain was the most important organ. Then I thought, look what’s telling me that.

GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Posts: 13920
Followers: 589

Kudos [?]: 167 [0], given: 0

Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3 [#permalink]

### Show Tags

18 Jul 2016, 21:19
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.
_________________
Re: The Simplastic language has only 2 unique values and 3   [#permalink] 18 Jul 2016, 21:19
Similar topics Replies Last post
Similar
Topics:
2 For a certain positive integer N, N^3 has exactly 13 unique factors. H 2 18 Feb 2017, 01:49
What is the value of integer N if 2,3,5 are the only prime factors of 6 22 Nov 2016, 02:15
2 Q' = 3Q - 3, what is the value of (2')' ? 9 15 Apr 2015, 03:10
1 If (2/3)^n=(3/2)^2, what is the value of n? 4 16 Jun 2012, 19:47
3 Set S consists of the following unique integers: -2, 17, 3, 7 23 Jul 2011, 01:33
Display posts from previous: Sort by