A computer retailer sells only TFT and LCD style monitors. According to the graph above, where the x-axis represents the day of the week and the y-axis represents the number of monitors sold, on which day was the ratio of the number of LCD monitors sold to total number of monitors sold the greatest? A. Monday B. Tuesday C. Wednesday D. Thursday E. Friday
(C) The number of LCD sales is the difference between total sales and TFT sales. For each day of the week, we can determine the ratio of the number of LCD monitors sold to the total number of monitors sold: Monday: (18 – 10)/18 = 4/9 Tuesday: (22 – 12)/22 = 5/11 Wednesday: (24 – 12)/24 = 1/2 Thursday: (26 – 16)/26 = 5/13 Friday: (26 – 14)/26 = 6/13.
The greatest fraction is 1/2, so the ratio on Wednesday is the largest.The correct answer is choice (C). ------------- * let L represent the number of LCD monitors sold * let T represent the number of TFT monitors sold Why is the ratio calculated as (L-T)/L? I would expect it to be L/(L+T).
How is half the largest share? Its equal for both LCD and TFT.
We are NOT looking for the day, on which the LCD share was greater than the TFT share. We are looking for the day, on which the LCD daily share was the greatest among all LCD daily shares throughout the week.
As you can see the retailer never sold more LCDs than TFTs, but on Wednesday the LCD share was the greatest among the LCD shares throughout the week (On Thursday it was the lowest).
When the question asks for the greatest ratio, I thought that it might have been one of the others, 1/2 is the largest number but the difference between the two values isn't the biggest. eg for every 1 of a there is 2 of b. But with other ans it was for every 4 of a there is 9 of b. Just so I fully understand, could you please explain ways to fully understand what's being asked in the gmat, because I got the maths right, just misinterpreted. Thanks.
When the question asks for the greatest ratio, I thought that it might have been one of the others, 1/2 is the largest number but the difference between the two values isn't the biggest. e.g. for every 1 of a there is 2 of b. But with other ans it was for every 4 of a there is 9 of b.
It seems as "4 out of 9" operates with larger numbers and gives larger quantities. However, in order to compare this fractions, 1/2 and 4/9, you need to use a common denominator. The least common denominator is 18.
1/2 = 9/18 4/9 = 8/18
Now we can easily compare "9 of every 18 monitors" and "8 of every 18 monitors".
Another way is to imagine percentages. 1/2 = 0.50 or "1 of every 2 monitors" tells us about 50% of monitors. 4/9 = 0.44… or "4 of every 9 monitors" tells us approximately about 44% of monitors.
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