Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 16:31 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 16:31
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
DerekLin
Joined: 26 Nov 2023
Last visit: 27 Feb 2024
Posts: 42
Own Kudos:
1,767
 [32]
Given Kudos: 4
Posts: 42
Kudos: 1,767
 [32]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
31
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
gmatophobia
User avatar
Quant Chat Moderator
Joined: 22 Dec 2016
Last visit: 19 Apr 2026
Posts: 3,173
Own Kudos:
11,465
 [3]
Given Kudos: 1,862
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Leadership
Posts: 3,173
Kudos: 11,465
 [3]
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GmatKnightTutor
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 31 Jan 2020
Last visit: 01 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,203
Own Kudos:
1,576
 [2]
Given Kudos: 18
Posts: 5,203
Kudos: 1,576
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
demawtf
Joined: 18 Mar 2024
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 55
Own Kudos:
88
 [1]
Given Kudos: 549
GMAT Focus 1: 425 Q68 V75 DI70
GMAT Focus 2: 495 Q75 V74 DI75
Products:
GMAT Focus 2: 495 Q75 V74 DI75
Posts: 55
Kudos: 88
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General formula for 2-overlapping SETS:

A+B-BOTH+Neither=TOT

TOT:w
A:x
B:y
BOTH:z

x+y-z+neither=w --> neither=w-x-y+z as a fraction on the total is w-x-y+z/w­

Answer D­
User avatar
mandilwar
Joined: 20 Jun 2024
Last visit: 22 Feb 2025
Posts: 10
Own Kudos:
11
 [1]
Given Kudos: 17
Location: India
Posts: 10
Kudos: 11
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Very easy to visualize using Venn diagram, check,




DerekLin
Of w people in a room, x people had a sandwich for lunch and y people had soup for lunch. Of the people who had a sandwich or soup, z people had both a sandwich and soup. In terms of w, x, y, and z, what fraction of the people in the room had neither a sandwich nor soup?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E. ­
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-syj2htrs.gif
GMAT-Club-Forum-syj2htrs.gif [ 1.91 KiB | Viewed 3065 times ]
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-x782nz8t.gif
GMAT-Club-Forum-x782nz8t.gif [ 1.87 KiB | Viewed 3073 times ]
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-yun917sp.gif
GMAT-Club-Forum-yun917sp.gif [ 1.85 KiB | Viewed 3084 times ]
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-z6khmok6.gif
GMAT-Club-Forum-z6khmok6.gif [ 1.83 KiB | Viewed 3097 times ]
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-1mim0eb4.gif
GMAT-Club-Forum-1mim0eb4.gif [ 1.94 KiB | Viewed 3116 times ]
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-3hmksnwx.png
GMAT-Club-Forum-3hmksnwx.png [ 1.32 MiB | Viewed 3197 times ]

Attachments

WhatsApp Image 2024-11-09 at 20.21.51.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2024-11-09 at 20.21.51.jpeg [ 853.72 KiB | Viewed 5620 times ]

User avatar
jin.h
Joined: 16 Feb 2024
Last visit: 18 Sep 2025
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 346
Posts: 13
Kudos: 3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi,

I'm overthinking this question. Can someone help?

"Of the people who had a sandwich or soup, z people had both a sandwich and soup"

Because it's NOT "of w people, z people had both a sandwich and soup"

I set overlap = a, so a/x+y-a = z

Of course, I can't find the answer based on this. Can someone explain why this is wrong?

Thanks.

gmatophobia
GmatKnightTutor
Bunuel

DerekLin
Of w people in a room, x people had a sandwich for lunch and y people had soup for lunch. Of the people who had a sandwich or soup, z people had both a sandwich and soup. In terms of w, x, y, and z, what fraction of the people in the room had neither a sandwich nor soup?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E. ­
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-0palz4ua.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-gsz4yi49.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-8hr4zed0.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-fu83p679.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-gijektcz.gif
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,830
Own Kudos:
811,281
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,886
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,830
Kudos: 811,281
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
jin.h
Hi,

I'm overthinking this question. Can someone help?

"Of the people who had a sandwich or soup, z people had both a sandwich and soup"

Because it's NOT "of w people, z people had both a sandwich and soup"

I set overlap = a, so a/x+y-a = z

Of course, I can't find the answer based on this. Can someone explain why this is wrong?

Thanks.

gmatophobia
GmatKnightTutor
Bunuel

DerekLin
Of w people in a room, x people had a sandwich for lunch and y people had soup for lunch. Of the people who had a sandwich or soup, z people had both a sandwich and soup. In terms of w, x, y, and z, what fraction of the people in the room had neither a sandwich nor soup?

A. \(\frac{w - x - y + 2z}{w-z}\)
B. \(\frac{x + y + z}{w-z}\)
C. \(\frac{w - x - y - z}{w}\)
D. \(\frac{w - x - y + z}{/w}\)
E. \(\frac{w - x - y + 2z}{w}\)

Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-0palz4ua.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-gsz4yi49.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-8hr4zed0.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-fu83p679.gif
Attachment:
GMAT-Club-Forum-gijektcz.gif

z is not a ratio; it is the actual count of people who had both a sandwich and soup, out of those who had either or both. So there is no need to write z as a fraction or solve for it.

People who had sandwich or soup (or both) = x + y - z. We subtract z once to avoid double-counting.

People who had neither = w - (x + y - z) = w - x - y + z.

So the fraction is (w - x - y + z)/w.

Answer: D.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109830 posts
Tuck School Moderator
852 posts