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Bunuel

As per my experience, this question should belong to 700 level category.
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14101992
Bunuel

As per my experience, this question should belong to 700 level category.

It can be done more easily than your experience. However, in any event, Bunuel generally posts these all initially as 600-700 and the questions are then adjusted up or down in level of difficulty as responses come in.
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Let's take the unknown multiplier approach to solve this ratio problem.
The initial numbers of textbooks, novels, and atlases are 2x, 4x, and 3x, respectively. The total number of books is
2x+4x+3x=9x.

Use y to represent the number of textbooks that are added. The total number of books will then be
9x+y, and the novels will represent
4x/(9x+y)
of the books. Since we wish for the novels to be 32% of the total number of books, we can write
4x/(9x+y)=32/100=8/25

100x=72x+8y
28x=8y
7x=2y

And since books are integers we can say that x is a multiple of 2 and y is a multiple of 7. In turn, the atlases must be a multiple of 2 as well as 3. The only multiple of 6 in the answer choices is 78, so E is correct.
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Calculaye the number of text books added. The number is 35.
So total number of textbooks= 55.
Using the ratio, 2:4:3, calculate as follows
2/9 of X= 55. Keep the value of X in [RAISED HAND].
Now use the ratio, 2:4:3.
3 of Atlas = X.
Calculate Atlas (Number). It comes to 77.5 which is equivalent to 78 since number of books cannot be a fraction.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
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T : N : A
2x : 4X : 3X

Total = 2X + 3X + 4X = 9X So Current % of N = 4/9
After adding some textbooks the New % of N became 32/100 = 8/25

T : N : A
... : 8X : ....
Total = 25X

Notice that no change happened to both N & A, but N which was 4x became 8x , So that means A which was 3x will be 6X . so the answer must be divisible by 6 . Answer E is the only one that is divisible by 6.

Hence E.

Another Way to approach:

Since no change happened in the real numbers of both N & A . After adding textbooks, the ratio of N : A will remain the same just as before adding textbooks.

N:A Before adding textbooks = 4/3 , after adding text box N:Total became 32/100---> 8/25
4/3 = 8/x "where x stands for Athletes books which was 3" , you will end up with x=6 . N:A new = 8x/6X
So the answer must be divisible by 6 .

Hence E.
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The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78

Textbook = T, Novel = N, Atlas = A.

T:N:A = 2:4:3

Currently percentage of N = 4/(4+2+3) = 4/9 = 44.44%

T is added until N becomes 32% or we can say

if 100 is the new total number of books 32 of them is N
or if 50 is the new total number of books 16 of them is N
or if 25 is the new total number of books 8 of them is N

So, we see that N should be a multiple of 8.

There is no change in the number of Atlas, hence as per its ratio, Atlas should be a multiple of 3.

B and C are out.

Work back from answers:

A. 9

If Atlas is 9, N will be 12 (not multiple of 8). Out. [as ratio of T:N:A is 2:4:3]

D. 51

If Atlas is 51, N will be 68 (not multiple of 8). Out.

E. 78

If Atlas is 78, N will be 104 (multiple of 8). Hence, the answer.

We can also see that if N = 104, T=52 and A=78, T:N:A = 2:4:3
If 91 more T are added, % of N = 104/325=32%

In this solution you are considering that the ratio of books remains constant but it is mentioned nowhere
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Bunuel
The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78

let 4x=number of novels
4x/.32=12.5x=total books after textbooks are added
let 3x=number of atlases
3x/12.5x=6/25
only 78 is a multiple of 6
E
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Bunuel
The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78
Solution:

Let 2x, 4x and 3x be the number of textbooks, novels and atlases that are in the current collection. Let y be the number of textbooks added to the collection. We can create the equation:

4x / (2x + 4x + 3x + y) = 32/100

4x / (9x + y) = 8/25

100x = 72x + 8y

28x = 8y

7x = 2y

x = 2y/7

Since 2 is not divisible by 7, then y must be divisible by 7 so that x can be an integer. Furthermore, we see that x is a multiple of 2, and therefore, 3x, the number of atlases, must be a multiple of 6. Looking at the answer choices, we see that only 78 is a multiple of 6. Therefore, it’s the correct answer.

Answer: E
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2x : 4x : 3x

Answer must be divisible by 3. We are left with 9 (x = 3), 51 (x = 17), 78 (x = 26).

4x must be divisible by 8, as 8 is the lowest number that can be 32 % of some integer value. 8/25 = 32/100.

x = 3 --> 4x3 = 12 = not divisible by 8
x = 17 --> 4x17 = 108 = not divisible by 8
x = 26 --> 4x26 = 104 = divisible by 8

Or, if we see it, we know that x must be divisible by 2.
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Bunuel
The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78

Hello everyone, is the question asking the number of the atlases after the teacher has added the new books or before the teacher has added the new books?
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Bunuel
The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78

Hello everyone, is the question asking the number of the atlases after the teacher has added the new books or before the teacher has added the new books?

Yes.

Okay, too snarky? Sorry. No atlases were added or removed, right? So the number of atlases is the same at all times. The question is asking how many are present at any point you care to check.
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Bunuel
The ratio of textbooks to novels to atlases in a certain classroom is 2 to 4 to 3. If there are no other books in the classroom, and if the teacher adds textbooks until novels make up 32% of the books present, which of the following could be the number of atlases in the room?

A. 9
B. 16
C. 34
D. 51
E. 78
­The current ratio of textbooks. novels and atlases are 2:4:3 or 2x:4x:3x. The total number of books is 2x+4x+3x=9x.
Let the number of new textbooks be a. \frac{4x}{9x+a}=\frac{32}{100} or, a=3.5x.

Therefore the new ratio becomes (2x+3.5x):4x:3x = 5.5x:4x:3x = 6:5:6. The answer is divisible by 6. Option (E) is correct.
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