A restaurant buys fruit in cans containing 3 1/2 cups of fruit each.

Question

A restaurant buys fruit in cans containing 3\(\frac{1}{2}\)cups of fruit each. If the restaurant uses 1/2 cup of the fruit in each serving of its fruit compote, what is the least number of cans needed to prepare 60 servings of the compote ?

(A) 7
(B) 8
(C) 9
(D) 10
(E) 12

(A) 7 
(B) 8 
(C) 9 
(D) 10 
(E) 12

1 can = 3.5 cups 
or, 0.5 cups = 1 serve 
or, 1 can =7 serving

for 60 servings,
8 cans =  8*7 = 56

9 cans =  9*7 = 63 
Answer: C

Senthil1981 · Accepted Answer

Answer is 9 : C.

One can serves 7 people (1/2 per person * 3.5) So it required 60/7 = 8.5XXX , and since it has to be rounded up. 9 CANs

Divyadisha · Answer

1/2 cup makes one serving, so 3 \frac{1}{2}  or 7/2 cups will make 7 servings.

For 60 servings, we need:-

7*8= 56 servings

and 1 more can would add remaining 4 servings; hence 8+1 = 9 cans are needed.

hsbinfy · Answer

7/2 cups = 1 can

1/2 cup of each serving. so 7 serving per 1 can.
Least number is 7*9=63 =60 approx

Answer -9

Blackbox · Answer

When the answer is ~8.5 after all the math is done and when the question asks for the "least" # of cans why should I round it to the "higher" number (9)? Makes no sense to me! I sincerely hope this isn't a GMAT type of question. And yes, I picked B and hence the whining

Edit: Oh well, in retrospect, I see what is happening. Since we are needing ~8.5 cans of food to serve 60, the half-can technically means "one full can". Which means 9 cans in total. Gee I hope I don't get such questions on the real deal.

Captain RoY · Answer

it's a great math if u understand it properly.......

7/2 cups = 1 can
1/2 cup of each serving. so 7 serving per 1 can.
Least number is 7*9=63 =60 approx

Answer =9

Posted from my mobile device

sindhya1781 · Answer

One serving requires 0.5 cups
One can contains 3.5 cups
So one serving requires (0.5/3.5) cans ie. (1/7) cans

1 serving -> (1/7) cans
60 servings -> 60* (1/7)
= 8.5
So minimum no of cans required is 9

Answer C

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

hsn81960 · Answer

can someone pls explain this :
how does 7/2 cups will make 7 servings?

AyushCrackVerbal · Answer

Number of cups used in each serving = 0.5 cups

Number of cups in 1 can = 3.5

Number of servings that can be made from 1 can =  \frac{3.5}{0.5}  = 7

Number of cans required to make 60 servings =  \frac{60}{7} = 8.57

Since the number of cans will be a natural number, the least number of cans needed will be 9.

The correct answer is  C

BrentGMATPrepNow · Answer

Let's first determine how many servings of compote we can make with 1 can of fruit. 
To do so, we must determine how many times  \frac{1}{2}  divides into  3\frac{1}{2}

3\frac{1}{2} ÷ \frac{1}{2} = \frac{7}{2} ÷ \frac{1}{2} = \frac{7}{2} 	imes \frac{2}{1} =7 
So, each can of fruit can make 7 servings of compote.

60/7 = 8.something , which means we'll need 9 cans of fruit to prepare 60 servings of the compote

Answer: C

Kimberly77 · Answer

Hi  BrentGMATPrepNow , is below calculation correct?

As its \frac{1}{2}  cup of the fruit in each serving so we will need 30 cups for 60 servings.
Each can containing  3\frac{1}{2}  cups of fruit each, so least number of cans required >> 30/7/2 = 60/7 = 8.5

BrentGMATPrepNow · Answer

Your calculations are correct. 
Please note that since we can't buy half a can of fruit, we must buy 9 cans and total

Kimberly77 · Answer

Noted. Thanks Brent BrentGMATPrepNow for confirmation

TamimHM · Answer

1 can = 3.5 cup fruits
1/2 cup = 1 compote
Total number of cup for 60 compote (30 cup)

Cans needed = 30/3.5 = 8.57 ~ 9

C is the answer

bumpbot · Answer

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A restaurant buys fruit in cans containing 3 1/2 cups of fruit each.

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A restaurant buys fruit in cans containing 3 1/2 cups of fruit each.

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