Mrunal [Aptitude] Data Sufficiency (DS): Simple Equation, Partnership,...

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[Aptitude] Data Sufficiency (DS): Simple Equation, Partnership, TnW

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3.
4.
5.
6.

DS Case: Simple Equation

Rule#1 Remember to Forget
Rule#2: Dont calculate exact value
DS Case: Square roots
DS case: Partnership
DS Case: Time and Work

DS Case: Simple Equation

C=a+b, what is the value of C?
I. a=5
II. b=3
Answer choice:
A. Question can be answered using statement i alone.
B. Question can be answered using statement ii alone
C. Question can be answered using statement 1 and 2 together but not using any
statement alone.
D. Question cannot be answered even after using statement 1 and 2 together.
First, What is the DS question?
Weve to find the value of C?
Nope, The DS question is can we find the value of C?
In Data sufficiency(DS) question, we are not interested in finding the actual value of
something but we are interested in finding whether we can get an exact value using
given statements or not?
As usual make a table

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Statement Given

http://mrunal.org/2012/05/aptitude-data-sufficiency-ds-simple.html/print/

Thought process

Exact Answer
possible?

I need must know the value of a and

b
Question

C=a+b

Not yet!
to find the value of c
C=5+b.

a=5

But b can be any number.

No

C=a+3.
II

b=3

Combine

a=5,

I & II

b=3

But a can be any number.

C=5+3=8.

No

Yes

Rule#1 Remember to Forget

Each statement row I and II has to be checked individually, and you must assume
you dont know the other statement.
For example, when you calculated Statement #1s row, you got the a=5. So in
your brain, now you know that a=5.
But when you start with Statement #2s row, you must not use a=5. And take
only b=3. Because statement II gave only that much information.
Only when doing the third row (Combine I&II), you can use what you learned
from both statements ie. a=5 and b=3

Rule#2: Dont calculate exact value

you dont have to find the exact answer.
For example, in third row, (combine I &II), you got that since a=5 and b=3 so c=5+3.
STOP.
No need to calculate 5+3=8. Because you know youll get an exact answer.
What if a=21233213 and b=345349550.
Again, no need to actually calculate a+b, because it is obvious youll get an exact value
for c

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In data sufficiency, we dont have to find actual answers, but only check whether it is
possible to get exact answer or not. So dont waste time in doing addition of
21233213+345349550
Final Answer: (C) Question can be answered using statement 1 and 2 together but not
using any statement alone.

DS Case: Square roots

C=a+b, what is the value of C?
I. a2=25
II. b2=9
Answer choice:
A. Question can be answered using statement i alone.
B. Question can be answered using statement ii alone
C. Question can be answered using statement 1 and 2 together but not using any
statement alone.
D. Question cannot be answered even after using statement 1 and 2 together.

Same procedure
Statement

Given

Thought process

Exact Answer
possible?

I must know the exact values

of
Question

II

C=a+b

a and b to find exact value of

c.

a2=25

C=(+/- 5)+b.

a=(+/-5)

But b can be any number.

b2=9

C=(+/-3) +b.

b=(+/3)

But a can be any number.

Not yet!

No

No

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a=(+/-5)
Combine I &
II

b=(+/3)

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Multiple answers!
Refer s(1+2)calc

No

Important: square roots

a2=25 that does not mean a=5.
Because 5 x 5 =25
but (-5) x (-5) = also 25.
So a can be either (-5) or (+5)
Similarly for statement # II. b=(+/- 3)
When we combine them both we get four possible answers

S(1+2)calc
All possible values of c
Case a

C=a+b

-3 2

-5 3

-5 -3 -8

-2

As you can see we get four possible values of c. so exact answer is not possible even
after combining the information from statement I and II.
Although, in actual exam you dont have to do the majoori of doing second table
containing all possible values of c. because you know youll get multiple values of
c, since a=(+/-5).
Remember Rule #2: Dont Calculate Exact Value! Because That is waste of time.
Therefore final answer: (D) Question cannot be answered even after using statement 1
and 2 together.
Now Im using some questions from Indiabix.com for Data Sufficiency. Hope they
dont sue me for copyright violation :D

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DS case: Partnership
Ravi, Gagan and Nitin are running a business firm in partnership. What is Gagans share
in the profit earned by them?
I. Ravi, Gagan and Nitin invested the amounts in the ratio of 2 : 4 : 7.
II. Nitins share in the profit is Rs. 8750.
A. I alone sufficient while II alone not sufficient to answer
B. II alone sufficient while I alone not sufficient to answer
C. Either I or II alone sufficient to answer
D. Both I and II are not sufficient to answer
E. Both I and II are necessary to answer

What is the question?

What is Gagans share in the profit earned by them?
NO! the DS question is can we find exact value of Gagans share?
Make the table

Statement

Question

Given

Ravi, Gagan and Nitin are

running a business firm in
partnership. Seeking Gagans
profit share.

Thought process.
I could solve if only I
knew the ratio of their
investment and total
investment.

Exact
Answer
possible?

Not yet!

Or ratio of their profit

and total profit.

R:G:N=2:4:7
So according to Componendo,
I

Gagans share

But we dont know

what is total profit!

No

=4/ (2+4+7) x total profit

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=4/13th of total profit

But we dont know
total profit.
Nitins share in the profit is Rs.
8750.

II

We also dont know

what is the ratio of
R:G:N?

No

Because (eq1)=(eq2)
eq1) From S1, we can infer
th
Combine I Nitins share in profit = 7/13 of
total profit. (same
& II
componendo)eq2) From s2, we
know Nitin got Rs.8750.

you can get total

profit. And from total
profit, you can find
Gagans share using
Statement I***

YES!

Final answer: (E) Both I and II are necessary to answer. Question solved in less than 1
minute.
***Notice I havent wasted my precious time in actually doing the calculation. Because
we were never required to find actual profit share of Gagan. We had to find only
whether is it possible to calculate exact value of Gagans share or not?
However for the sake of clarity, Im completing the calculation from the (***) cell. But
you dont have to waste your time doing this, in actual exam.

Unnecessary but for conceptual clarity

Eq1= eq2
7/13th of total profit = Nitins share in profit
7/13th x total profit = 8750
Total profit = (8750/7) x 13 (no need to calculate, because this will cut in next stage)
Now Gagans share in profit =4/13th of total profit
=4/13 x {(8750/7) x 13}
=(4 x 8750) /7
=4 x 1250

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=Rs.5000.
So we got an Exact value for Gagans share in profit (Rs.5000/-).
But we could only come upto this point only after combing the information from
statement 1 and 2.
Therefore final answer is (E) Both I and II are necessary to answer.

DS Case: Time and Work

How many workers are required for completing the construction work in 10 days?
I. 20% of the work can be completed by 8 workers in 8 days.
II. 20 workers can complete the work in 16 days.
III. One-eighth of the work can be completed by 8 workers in 5 days.
Answer Choices:
A. I only
B. II and III only
C. III only
D. I and III only
E. Any one of the three
Make sure youve read the previous article on TnW: Men Women and Children

What is the DS-question here?

Number of Men needed to finish job in 10 dayS?
Nope. The DS question is can we find exact number of men needed? YES / NO?
Statement Given
Find # of Men needed
Question

to finish the job in t=10 days.

i.e. how many S

Thought process

Exact Answer
possible?

For STD, I know

t=10
Not yet.
I only need to
know value of D

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Then I can find

s

20% of the work can be

completed by 8 workers in 8
days.

Refer S1calc

Yes.

II

20 workers can complete the

work in 16 days.

Refer S2calc

Yes

III

One-eighth of the work can be

Refer S3calc
completed by 8 workers in 5 days

Yes

S1calc
20% of the work can be completed by 8 workers in 8 days.
Assume speed of 1 man Is m.
So speed of 8 men = 8m
Usual STD approach
8 men
Speed

8m

Time

Distance 8mx8=64m
Run STD on last column
We get the work done by 8 men in 8 days = 64m
But 64m is only 20% of the total work
20%=1/5th of total work
64m=1/5th of total work
Total work =64x5m (no need to calculate exact value of 645)
So the total work is 64x5m and weve to do this in t=10 days. Make a new column.
Suppose we need F number of men. So their speed is Fm

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8 men

F men

Speed

8m

Fm

Time

10

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Distance 8mx8=64m 64x5m

Run STD on last column. (by this time, you should know that youll get exact value. So
DS answer for Statement 1 is YES) but still for the sake of clarity
Speed x time = distance
Fm x 10 =64x5m
F= (645m)/ 10m
F=32 men needed.

S2Calc
Statement #2 says 20 workers can complete the work in 16 days.
20 men
Speed

20m

Time

16

Distance 20m x 16
Run STD on first column, total distance = 20m x 16,
Weve to cover the same distance in 10 days. So well need F men
Make a new column
20 men

F men

Speed

20m

Fm

Time

16

10

Distance 20m x 16 20m x 16

Its obvious youll get an exact value of F by running STD formula on last column.
No need to waste time in exact calculation.

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So DS answer for second statement =YES.

S3calc
Statement #3 says One-eighth of the work can be completed by 8 workers in 5 days
Make column, run std.
8 men
Speed

8m

Time

Distance 8m x5= 40m

Distance covered by 8 men in 5 days = 40m
But statement says this is only 1/8th of total work
1/8th of total work = 40m
Total work =8 x 40m
We want to cover this in 10 days only. (There is no need to calculate the exact value,
this situation is same as s1calc, so DS answer is going to be Yes)
But still for clarity, Im making new column
8 men

F men

Speed

8m

Fm

Time

10

Distance 8m x5= 40m 8x40m

Run STD on last column
Speed x time = distance
Fm x 10 = 8x40m
F=(840) / (m x10)
F=32 men needed.

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DS answer for statement 3: yes because exact value possible.

Final answer: since we get YES in DS for each statement 1,2,3 individually.
Therefore Answer choice is E any one of the three.

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Posted By Mrunal On 07/05/2012 @ 18:36 In the category Aptitude

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