Last visit was: 06 Sep 2026, 10:21 It is currently 06 Sep 2026, 10:21
Close
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
Your Progress

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
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
kawal27
Joined: 10 Oct 2019
Last visit: 15 Dec 2022
Posts: 81
Own Kudos:
458
 [37]
Given Kudos: 81
Location: India
Schools: NTU '21
GMAT 1: 530 Q40 V23
Schools: NTU '21
GMAT 1: 530 Q40 V23
Posts: 81
Kudos: 458
 [37]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
33
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
rajatchopra1994
Joined: 16 Feb 2015
Last visit: 22 Jun 2024
Posts: 1,052
Own Kudos:
1,343
 [13]
Given Kudos: 30
Location: United States
Posts: 1,052
Kudos: 1,343
 [13]
7
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
IanStewart
User avatar
GMAT Tutor
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Last visit: 04 Sep 2026
Posts: 4,146
Own Kudos:
11,525
 [12]
Given Kudos: 98
Location: United States
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V47
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V47
Posts: 4,146
Kudos: 11,525
 [12]
6
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
avatar
ceanma
Joined: 25 Aug 2020
Last visit: 14 Jul 2021
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rajatchopra1994
Explanation:

Consider the number of students in C1 and C2 are 2x and 3x
Given (2x−10):(3x+10)=3:7
14x-70 = 9x+30
5x=100
x=20 --- 1
Let y be the number of students to be shifted from C2 to C1.
Substitute value of x in (2x−10+y):(3x+10−y)=9:11
(30+y):(70-y)=9:11
330+11y = 630-9y
20y = 300
y= 15

IMO-B

So every ratio can be expressed as a fraction, e.g.:

3:4 = \(\frac{3}{4}\)

Is that correct? If yes, how could the question be solved, if there were three ratios involved?
User avatar
HarshBavishi
Joined: 18 Nov 2020
Last visit: 28 Dec 2020
Posts: 2
Own Kudos:
2
 [2]
Given Kudos: 1
Posts: 2
Kudos: 2
 [2]
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Consider the number of students in C1 and C2 are 2x and 3x
Given (2x−10):(3x+10)=3:7
14x-70 = 9x+30
5x=100
x=20 __ (1)

Let y be the number of students to be shifted from C2 to C1.
Substitute value of x in (2x−10+y):(3x+10−y)=9:11
(30+y):(70-y)=9:11
330+11y = 630-9y
20y = 300
y=15
User avatar
GMATGuruNY
Joined: 04 Aug 2010
Last visit: 04 Sep 2026
Posts: 1,348
Own Kudos:
3,967
 [2]
Given Kudos: 9
Schools:Dartmouth College
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 1,348
Kudos: 3,967
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kawal27
The ratio of the number of students in two classrooms, C1 and C2, is 2 : 3. It is observed that after shifting 10 students from C1 to C2, the ratio is 3 : 7. Further, how many students have to be shifted from C2 to C1 for the new ratio to become 9 : 11?


A)10

B)15

C)20

D)25

E)30

Since the resulting ratio is 9:11 -- and the parts of this ratio have a sum of 20 -- the total number of students must be a multiple of 20.
Test whether a multiplier of 20 for the initial 2:3 ratio satisfies the following condition in the prompt:
Shifting 10 students from C1 to C2, the ratio is 3 : 7.

\(\frac{C1}{C2} = \frac{2}{3} = \frac{2*20}{3*20} = \frac{40}{60}\)
If 10 students transfer from C1 to C2, we get:
\(\frac{C1}{C2}=\frac{40-10}{60+10 }=\frac{30}{70}=\frac{3}{7}\)
Success!

How many students have to be shifted from C2 to C1 for the new ratio to become 9:11?

When the correct answer is subtracted from the 70 students currently in C2, the result must be a multiple of 11.
Only B is viable.
If 15 students transfer from C2 to C1, we get:
\(\frac{C1}{C2}=\frac{30+15}{70-15} = \frac{45}{55} = \frac{9}{11}\\
\)
User avatar
luisdicampo
Joined: 10 Feb 2025
Last visit: 29 Jun 2026
Posts: 477
Own Kudos:
104
 [1]
Given Kudos: 328
Products:
Posts: 477
Kudos: 104
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Deconstructing the Question
Given
C1:C2 = \(2:3\)
After moving 10 students from C1 to C2, ratio becomes \(3:7\).
Find how many students x must be moved from C2 to C1 so the ratio becomes \(9:11\).

Step-by-step
Let C1 = \(2k\), C2 = \(3k\).

After moving 10 from C1 to C2:
C1 = \(2k - 10\), C2 = \(3k + 10\).

Set the ratio:
\(\frac{2k-10}{3k+10}=\frac{3}{7}\)

Cross-multiply:
\(7(2k-10)=3(3k+10)\)
\(14k-70=9k+30\)
\(5k=100 \Rightarrow k=20\)

So after the first move:
C1 = \(40-10=30\), C2 = \(60+10=70\).

Now move x from C2 to C1:
C1 = \(30+x\), C2 = \(70-x\).

Target ratio:
\(\frac{30+x}{70-x}=\frac{9}{11}\)

Solve:
\(11(30+x)=9(70-x)\)
\(330+11x=630-9x\)
\(20x=300 \Rightarrow x=15\)

Answer: 15
User avatar
luisaacsiqueira
Joined: 20 Jul 2025
Last visit: 27 Apr 2026
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 37
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi Ian, i have doubt about this way os calculatoin.

If you have multiplied by 2 the first part ( 2:3 -> 4:6), why you dind ́t do it in the second ( 3:7 -> 6:14)? The second change for me would make sense considering that we want to achieve the 9:11, which leads to 20. But if I did this, i would get 30 as a result, not 15. My main question here, is how can I understand when to stop multipliyng and start doing the division to get to the result.

Tnks :)
IanStewart


Making both ratios out of the same total (of ten) so we can properly compare them, the initial ratio is 4 to 6. After moving ten students, the ratio becomes 3 to 7. Since a change of one in the ratio corresponds to an actual change of ten, all of our numbers must be ten times those in the ratios, so we started with 40 and 60 students. Moving ten of them leads us to 30 and 70 students. If we're going to now move students from the second class to the first to get to a 45 to 55 ratio, we'd need to move 15 students.
User avatar
ronakpujari94
Joined: 02 Sep 2023
Last visit: 22 Aug 2026
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 25
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
He did it in the first part because he wanted to find out the total number of students. Once in the first part we know the total number of students multiplying in the second part serves no purpose as the number of students remain same. There were 40,60 students in the beginning, after the first movement C1 -> C2 there were 30,70; now the question asks after another movement of C2 ->C1, how would we get the ratio of 9:11 for the same 100 students i.e 45,55 students in C1 and C2. Answer:- by moving 15 students from C2 to C1
luisaacsiqueira
Hi Ian, i have doubt about this way os calculatoin.

If you have multiplied by 2 the first part ( 2:3 -> 4:6), why you dind ́t do it in the second ( 3:7 -> 6:14)? The second change for me would make sense considering that we want to achieve the 9:11, which leads to 20. But if I did this, i would get 30 as a result, not 15. My main question here, is how can I understand when to stop multipliyng and start doing the division to get to the result.

Tnks :)

Moderator:
Math Expert
113158 posts