In a certain Gun shooting competition prizes were awarded as follows:

Question

In a certain Gun shooting competition prizes were awarded as follows: the first place winner receives 11 points, the second place winner receives 7 points, the third place winner receives 5 points and the fourth place winner receives 2 points . No other points were awarded. John participated several times in the competition. The product of all the points he received was 84700. How many times did he participate in the competition.
A) 7
B) 5
C) 3
D) 2
E) cannot be determined

Note:- Question is a bit modified version of MGMAT.

A) 7
B) 5
C) 3
D) 2
E) cannot be determined

Note:- Question is a bit modified version of MGMAT.

14101992 · Answer

84700 = 2*2*5*5*7*11*11
 
If the question stated that John atleast came 4th each time he participated, then we can say that John participated 7 times.

But, it is not stated how many times did John come fifth, sixth, seventh, etc.
 
Hence, Answer will be E.

Divyadisha · Answer

We can calculate how many times he was winner in the competition, but we can't determine how many times he participated without winning the competition.

E is the answer

stne · Answer

The main reason that the answer is E is because we do not know if he came 5th or 6th or any other rank. Because for those positions no points were awarded .
Case 1: Suppose there are 10 people in the competition and John came 5th once and 8th once and the product of the remainder of the points were 84700. Here John participated 9 times . 
Case 2:Suppose there are 10 people in the competition and John came 5th, 8th and 10th once and the product of the remainder of the points were 84700. Here John participated 10 times . 
Hence number of times he participated cannot be determined

Crater · Answer

If he comes fifth, sixth or at any other position, wouldn't that be considered as zero points (no points awarded). In that case, shouldn't the product of points be zero?

Am I missing something in language here?

Regor60 · Answer

The question hangs its hat on the statement that no other points are awarded and that a zero would be considered an "award" of zero points.

I find this a dubious distinction as well

Posted from my mobile device

Samclub · Answer

It says no other points awarded, does that mean 5th, 6th onwards , points awarded is 0, if thats the case answer is 7 , coz if anytime he came below 4th, the product of points will become 0. Since the product of points of all the times is non zero, he couldn't have come below 4th. Hence, he was always 1,2,3 or 4. So, 7 should be answer

In a certain Gun shooting competition prizes were awarded as follows:

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