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RenB
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RenB
In a certain meatpacking plant, one-fifth of the shipments are tainted with salmonella, and 80 percent of the shipments with salmonella are rejected. If the total number of rejected shipments is equal to one-third of the number of untainted shipments that are NOT rejected, approximately what percent of the rejected shipments are NOT tainted with salmonella?

(A) 8%
(B) 16%
(C) 20%
(D) 24%
(E) 33.3%

If T is the total number of shipments, we have:

#Salmonella = #Rejected Salmonella + #Not-rejected Salmonella
(1/5)T = (4/5)(1/5)T + (1/5)(1/5)T
T/5 = 4T/25 + T/25

#Not-salmonella = #Rejected Not-salmonella + #Not-rejected Not-salmonella
(4/5)T = [4T/5 – x] + x

Since the total number of rejected shipments is equal to one-third of the number of untainted shipments that are not rejected, we have:

4T/25 + 4T/5 – x = x/3
24T/25 = 4x/3
T/x = 25/18

The percentage of the rejected shipments that are not tainted with salmonella is:

[(4T/5 – x)/(x/3)]100% = [(12/5)(T/x) – 3]100% =
[(12/5)(25/18) – 3]100% =
[10/3 – 3]100% =
[100/3]% ≈ 33.3%

Answer: E
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GMATNinja - this one's yours I think...

Could be 'solved' (or rather, guessed) within 10 seconds. I've seen this also with some OG Questions in the newest edition.

They ask you 'approximately' but then go on to provide 4 terminating fractions and one that is an approximation... Could be risky but worked every single time I've seen it.
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I've solved this using values—check out the detailed video solution here. Hope you find it helpful!



Smart Prep (Tutor)

RenB
In a certain meatpacking plant, one-fifth of the shipments are tainted with salmonella, and 80 percent of the shipments with salmonella are rejected. If the total number of rejected shipments is equal to one-third of the number of untainted shipments that are NOT rejected, approximately what percent of the rejected shipments are NOT tainted with salmonella?

(A) 8%
(B) 16%
(C) 20%
(D) 24%
(E) 33.3%
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In a certain meatpacking plant, one-fifth of the shipments are tainted with salmonella, and 80 percent of the shipments with salmonella are rejected. If the total number of rejected shipments is equal to one-third of the number of untainted shipments that are NOT rejected, approximately what percent of the rejected shipments are NOT tainted with salmonella?

Tainted with SalmonellaNot Tainted with SalmonellaTotal
Rejected80%*20%=16%x%-16%x%
Not Rejected4%96%-x%100%-x%
Total20%80%100%

x% = 1/3 (96%-x%)
3x% = 96% - x%
x% = 96%/4 = 24%


Tainted with SalmonellaNot Tainted with SalmonellaTotal
Rejected80%*20%=16%x%-16%=8%x%=24%
Not Rejected4%96%-x%=72%100%-x%=76%
Total20%80%100%

The percent of the rejected shipments are NOT tainted with salmonella = 8%/24% = 33.33%

IMO E
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I wonder why can't we answer it 8%? ... 8% is nothing but Rejected & Non Tainted Kinshook
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BinodBhai
I wonder why can't we answer it 8%? ... 8% is nothing but Rejected & Non Tainted Kinshook
Because we want to find percentage of the rejected shipments that are NOT tainted with salmonella, thus 8/24 = 33.33%

8% is the percentage of total shipments that are rejected and not tainted with salmonella

Hope it helps.
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