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Let those who pass ONLY maths exam = x.
So those who passed in maths = x+5

Now, those who passed in science = 2(x+5) = 2x+10
Those who passed in ONLY science = 2x+10-5 = 2x+5

Total students in class = Only maths + Only science + both = x + 2x+5 + 5 = 3x+10
This is given to be 40
3x+10 = 40. Solve to get x=10

So those who passed maths = x+5 = 10+5 = 15. Hence C
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In a class of 40 students, the number of students who passed the math exam is equal to half the number of students who passed the science exam. Each student in the class passed at least one of the two exams. If 5 students passed both exams, then the number of students who passed the math exam is?

Total students = 40
Let number of students who passed in Science exam be = 2X
Therefore Students who passed in Math exam (half of number of students passed in science exam) = X
Students who passed both exams = 5

Total = Students passed in Science + Students passed in Maths - (Students passed in both subjects)
40 = X + 2X - 5
3X = 45
X = 15
Answer C...

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rohan2345
In a class of 40 students, the number of students who passed the math exam is equal to half the number of students who passed the science exam. Each student in the class passed at least one of the two exams. If 5 students passed both exams, then the number of students who passed the math exam is

(A) 5
(B) 10
(C) 15
(D) 20
(E) 25

Let’s denote the number of students who passed only the math exam by x and the number of students who passed only the science exam by y. Then, since there are 5 students who passed both exams, the number of students who passed the math exam is x + 5 and the number of students who passed the science exam is y + 5.

Since the number of students who passed the math exam is equal to half the number of students who passed the science exam, we have x + 5 = (y + 5)/2, or, 2(x + 5) = y + 5. Simplifying this equation, we get y = 2x + 5.

To determine the number of students who passed the math exam, we will use the following formula:

# of students in the class = # who passed math + # who passed science - # who passed both + # who passed neither

We are given that there are 40 students in total and each student passed at least one exam; therefore, # who passed neither = 0. Then, we have:

40 = (x + 5) + (y + 5) - 5 + 0

40 = x + y + 5

x + y = 35

Let’s substitute y = 2x + 5:

x + 2x + 5 = 35

3x = 30

x = 10

We see that the number of students who passed only the math exam is 10. We must add to this number those 5 students who passed both math and science. Thus, the total number of students who passed the math exam is x + 5 = 10 + 5 = 15.

Answer: C
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Can someone explain why it is wrong to interpret the statement as follow?

40= X/2 + X - 10 + 5

Obviously it is wrong from the result you get but don't know why

Thanks!
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rohan2345
In a class of 40 students, the number of students who passed the math exam is equal to half the number of students who passed the science exam. Each student in the class passed at least one of the two exams. If 5 students passed both exams, then the number of students who passed the math exam is

(A) 5
(B) 10
(C) 15
(D) 20
(E) 25

Source: Nova GMAT
Difficulty Level: 600

Number of students who passed Science = s
=> Number of students who passed Math = s/2
Since 5 passes both, we have:
s + s/2 - 5 = 40
=> s = 30
=> Number of students who passed Math = s/2 = 15

Answer C
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