GMAT Math : GMAT Quantitative Reasoning

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Data Interpretation

What is the probability of sequentially drawing 3 aces from a deck or regular playing cards when the selected cards are not replaced?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The probability of drawing an ace first is  or .

Assuming an ace is the first card selected, the probability of selecting another ace is  or .

For the third card, the probability is  or .

To calculate the probability of all 3 events happening, you must multiply the probabilities:

Example Question #4 : Data Interpretation

How many even four-digit numbers larger than 4999 can be formed from the numbers 2, 4, 5, and 7 if each number can be used more than once?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since the number must be larger than 4999, the thousand’s digit has to be 5 or 7. We are also told that the number must be even. Thus, the unit’s digit must be 2 or 4. The middle digits can by any of the numbers 2,4,5, or 7. Therefore, we have a total of  possibilities.

Example Question #5 : Data Interpretation

What is the probability of rolling an even number on a standard dice?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A standard dice has 6 faces numbered .

 

There are  even numbers, , divided by the total number of faces:

Example Question #5 : Data Interpretation

Shawn is competing in an archery tournament. He gets to shoots three arrows at a target, and his best two shots count. 

He hits the bullseye with 40% of his shots. What is the probability that he will hit the bullseye at least twice out of the three times?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

There are three scenarios favorable to this event.

1: He hits a bullseye with his first two shots; the third shot doesn't matter.

The probability of this happening is 

2: He hits a bullseye with his first shot, misses with his second shot, and hits with his third shot.

The probability of this happening is 

3: He misses with his first shot and hits a bullseye with his other two shots.

The probability of this happening is 

Add these probabilities:

Example Question #195 : Problem Solving Questions

Square

A store uses the above target for a promotion. For each purchase, a customer gets to toss a dart at the target, and the outcome decides his prize. If he hits a pink region, he gets nothing; if he hits a red region, he gets a 10% discount on a future purchase; if he hits a green region, he gets a 20% discount; if he hits a blue region, he gets a 40% discount.

Assume a customer hits the target and no skill is involved. What are the odds against him getting a discount?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The customer gets a discount if he does not hit a pink region. There are ten out of twenty ways to hit a pink region and ten to not hit one - this makes the odds 10 to 10, or, in  lowest terms, 1 to 1 against a discount.

Example Question #5 : Probability

It costs $10 to buy a ticket to a charity raffle in which three prizes are given - the grand prize is $3,000, the second prize is $1,000, and the third prize is $500. Assuming that all of 1,000 tickets are sold, what is the expected value of one ticket to someone who purchases it?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

If 1,000 tickets are sold at $10 apiece, then $10,000 will be raised. The prizes are $3,000, $1,000, and $500, so $4,500 will be given back, meaning that the 1,000 ticket purchasers will collectively lose $5,500. This means that on the average, one ticket will be worth

This is the expected value of one ticket. 

Example Question #2 : Calculating Probability

Daria has 5 plates: 2 are green, 1 is blue, 1 is red, and 1 is both green and blue. What is the probability that Daria randomly selects a plate that has blue OR green on it?

Possible Answers:

\dpi{100} \small \frac{2}{5}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{4}{5}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{3}{5}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{5}

Correct answer:

\dpi{100} \small \frac{4}{5}

Explanation:

The easiest way to solve this is by using the complement. Only one of the five plates is NOT blue or green. So \dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{5} of the plates are NOT blue or green.  Therefore \dpi{100} \small 1-\frac{1}{5}=\frac{4}{5} of the plates are blue or green.

Example Question #11 : Data Interpretation

A die is rolled and then a coin is tossed. What is the probability that the die shows an even number AND the coin shows a tail?

Possible Answers:

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{4}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{2}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{3}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{6}

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{5}

Correct answer:

\dpi{100} \small \frac{1}{4}

Explanation:

We can calculate the two individual probabilities first.

Prob(die shows even) \dpi{100} \small =\frac{3}{6}=\frac{1}{2} (2, 4, and 6 out of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6)

Prob(tail) \dpi{100} \small =\frac{1}{2} (tail out of head and tail)

Then, Prob(even AND tail) is \dpi{100} \small P(even)\times P(tail)=\frac{1}{2}\times \frac{1}{2}.

Example Question #12 : Data Interpretation

A jar contains 8 blue marbles and 4 red marbles. What is the probability of picking a blue marble followed by a red marble if the first marble chosen is not put back in the jar?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

There are 12 marbles total. The probability of picking a blue marble first is . The probability of then picking a red marble out of the 11 remaining marbles is . Therefore, the probability is .

Example Question #13 : Data Interpretation

Square

Refer to the above figure, which shows a target. Each of the squares is of equal size. If a dart is thrown at the target, what are the odds against hitting a red region?

You may assume that the dart hits the target, and you may disregard any skill factor.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

There are fifteen ways to not hit a red region, and five ways to hit a red region. This makes the odds 15 to 5, or, in lowest terms, 3 to 1, against hitting a red region with a randomly thrown dart.

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