GRE Math : Arithmetic

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Combinations

There are eight possible flavors of curry at a particular restaurant.

Quantity A: Number of possible combinations if four unique curries are selected.

Quantity B: Number of possible combinations if five unique curries are selected.

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal

Quantity A is greater.

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity B is greater.

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater.

Explanation:

The number of potential combinations for  selections made from  possible options is

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

Quantity A is greater.

Example Question #11 : How To Find The Greatest Or Least Number Of Combinations

Quantity A: The number of possible combinations if four unique choices are made from ten possible options.

Quantity B: The number of possible permutations if two unique choices are made from ten possible options.

Possible Answers:

The relationship cannot be established.

Quantity B is greater.

Quantity A is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater.

Explanation:

For  choices made from  possible options, the number of potential combinations (order does not matter) is

And the number of potential permutations (order matters) is

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

Quantity A is greater.

Example Question #3 : Combinations

There are  possible flavor options at an ice cream shop.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When dealing with combinations, the number of possible combinations when selecting  choices out of  options is:

For Quantity A, the number of combinations is:

For Quantity B, the number of combinations is:

Quantity B is greater.

Example Question #3 : Combinations

Quantity A: The number of potential combinations given two choices made from ten options.

Quantity B: The number of potential combinations given four choices made from twenty options.

Possible Answers:

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity B is larger.

Quantity A is larger.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

Quantity B is larger.

Explanation:

Since in this problem we're dealing with combinations, the order of selection does not matter.

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations is

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

Quantity B is larger.

Example Question #331 : Arithmetic

Quantity A: The total number of combinations when a combination of two choices is made out of ten options and a combination of one choice is made from two options.

Quantity B: The total number of permutations formed when two choices are made from ten options.

Possible Answers:

Quantity B is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

The relationship cannot be established.

Quantity A is greater.

Correct answer:

The two quantities are equal.

Explanation:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations (order doesn't matter) is:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible permutations(order matters) is:

Quantity A:

This quantity involves two combinations being made to create one grand combination, the number of potential results of which is equal to the product of the subresults.

The total number of combinations is 

Quantity B:

The total number of permuations is 

The two quantities are equal.

Example Question #4 : Combinations

Quantity A: The number of combinations if five choices are made from ten options.

Quantity B: The number of combinations if two choices are made from twenty options.

Possible Answers:

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity A is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Quantity B is greater.

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater.

Explanation:

Since we're dealing with combinations in this problem, the order of selection does not matter.

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations is

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

Quantity A is greater.

Example Question #24 : How To Find The Greatest Or Least Number Of Combinations

Davis is trying to decide on an ensemble. He has ten pairs of socks to choose from, six bracelets (he'll wear a different one on each wrist), and four pairs of sun glasses. How many ways can he create an outfit?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations (order doesn't matter) is:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible permutations(order matters) is:

When choosing the socks and sunglasses, order does not matter; however, in electing bracelets, order does matter: for instance, a blue on the left and green on the right is different than a green on the left and blue on the right!

Consider the results case by case:

Socks:

Bracelets:

Sunglasses:

The number of potential ensembles is the product of these:

Example Question #83 : Probability & Statistics

Lisa is dressing warm for the winter. She'll be layering three shirts over each other, and two pairs of socks. If she has fifteen shirts to choose from, along with ten different kinds of socks, how many ways can she layer up?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since the order in which Lisa layers up matters, we're dealing with permutations.

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible permutations is:

For her shirts:

For her socks:

Her total ensemble options  is the product of these two results

Example Question #331 : Arithmetic

Quantity A: The number of possible combinations when three choices are made from six options.

Quantity B: The number of possible permutations when three choices are made from four options.

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal.

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity B is greater.

Quantity A is greater.

Correct answer:

Quantity B is greater.

Explanation:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations (order doesn't matter) is:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible permutations(order matters) is:

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

Quantity B is greater.

Example Question #21 : How To Find The Greatest Or Least Number Of Combinations

Quantity A: The number of potential combinations when three choices are made from seven options.

Quantity B: The number of potential combinations when four choices are made from seven options.

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal.

Quantity A is greater.

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity B is greater.

Correct answer:

The two quantities are equal.

Explanation:

With  selections made from  potential options, the total number of possible combinations (order doesn't matter) is:

Quantity A:

Quantity B:

It is not necessary to perform this calculation, (although the value for each is thirty-five) and on the GRE needless calculations should be avoided.

The two quantities are equal.

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