GMAT Ninja Quant Ep 5: Word Problems

[@lennyppm]

Upon watching this video, I have come to realize that everyone cannot get a high quant score, myself included. I have been studying for 10 months at this point and have yet to crack a 75 quant. I am honestly fine with that. I am a poet, not a quant. Thank you for making these videos but I have to be realistic with myself at a point. Luckily, my verbal score is in the 90th percentile, so will focus on getting that as close to 100 as possible.

[@Warhawk8302]

For Question 3, I naturally leaned towards a more numerical approach: Planned output - 700/week Actual output - 550/week Deficit - 150/week Total amount remaining for 3 weeks - 4200 Subtracting the planned rate of output here for 3 weeks (700*3 = 2100) 4200 - 2100 = 2100 (Deficit accrued over the weeks) Dividing accrued deficit by weekly deficit - 2100/150 = 14 Adding the remaining 3 weeks - 14 + 3 = 17 P.S - Love your videos, definitely a lifesaver

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

This is a great method for this question, thank you for sharing it!

[@KrazedAspects]

Really struggled with these questions for some reason, so it was helpful with the way you broke these down. Thanks !

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

Thank you so much for watching, and have fun studying!

[@skyler-t8s]

For Q5, i think you meant to circle A, not D, as the correct answer! Thanks for all of your great videos.

[@behazyy]

was about to ask about this haha he simplified it to 120 + 20{4P} then circled 140 lol

[@davidvigilius8300]

Another great example of how rushing leads to problems on the GMAT

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

ARGH! You're right - I did mean to circle (A) instead of (D)! As @davidvigilius8300 says in his comment, this is a really good example of how any sort of rushing or not giving the question all of your attention can lead to unnecessary slip ups. Thank you for pointing this out!

[@sichunwang1337]

OK thanks. I hated the moment that I thought I understand and realized that I was wrong

[@kenyaschwarz6072]

That one was funny. He writes the answer 1 sec ago on the right side and than circle D. I was like... Wtf why?_HOW? Happens xD.

[@AnshumanNarain]

Hey, thank you for your extremely valuable videos On quant I always try to 'push the question' and just that thinking has helped me a lot Giving my GMAT in Jan 2025, thank you once again

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

Thank you so much, and enjoy the next several months of studying!

[@sparshsinghal7307]

If you give your GMAT in 2025, can you still do your MBA in 2025 if you get a decent score or you have to take a drop for 1 year?

[@VidurSeth-b7o]

Hey, thanks so much for these videos - really grateful for them. I had a question regarding Q6. I didn't see anything in the question that stated we needed to consider whole days (though I could be mistaken). Based on that, I didn't feel it was necessary to test scenarios with 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 days, as half days are also a possibility, and people often get paid for them. Moreover, the assumption that the GMAT doesn't typically expect highly detailed calculations led me to this approach. As a result, I arrived at answer choice C. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think this approach makes sense?

[@gayathri186]

Hey I thought the same and got C as option . However I think question gives daily rate ...so.day a unit ,.cannot have half day etc . May b this is why

[@EhabMAhmed]

That’s exactly what I did and what I got when solving the question at first glance. From the first point, I calculated the number of days for B, and from the second point, I calculated the number of days for C. By combining them, I should have been able to determine the number of days for A. However, my mistake was that I got 5 days for A, even though it was mentioned that A should have fewer than 5 days. This is the only part that confused me. But based on my initial impression, I would choose C

[@pandimandi624]

Hi I'm copying in the answer of the channel itself under a different but similar question regarding Q6: "You're absolutely right that we can answer this question using the information in statements 1 and 2 combined. However, we have to check whether we can answer the question using the information in either statement by itself first. We'll only worry about combining the statements once we've checked each of them individually. The solution shown in the video demonstrates that the information in statement 1 is insufficient to answer the question, but the information in statement 2 is sufficient. This is why the answer to this question is (B). I hope that helps!" Meaning that vitally so, in all further questions, we may assume that indeed together they might suffice, but the first and initial part is to seperately verify whether it's correct. Will safe minor errors if you calculate them seperately first, whilst already taking into account both together are correct too.

[@a1n4_art]

​@@EhabMAhmed I calculated and got 3. It takes him 3 days for company A

[@a1n4_art]

Hey about the last question if we combine the data of both statements we do get the answer. So we know how much he gets paid for in all companies, combining B and C we get 9800 and it takes him 13 days as per the data, Subtracting 9800 from 11300 we remain with 1500, the only way he's able to make 1500 through company A with 500 is if he works for 3 days making a total of 16 days to reach target. Hence C because both statements together are sufficient (?) Please correct me if I'm wrong

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

You're absolutely right that we can answer this question if we use the information in both statements. However, if we can answer the question with the information in statement 2 alone, then we should choose (B) rather than (C). We only need to check if we can answer the question using the information in both statements combined if we know that we cannot answer the question with the information in one of the statements alone. This is why we check statement 1 alone first, then statement 2 alone, and only if we need to after this do we check both statements together. For more on Data Sufficiency questions, check out the article linked below. I hope that helps! www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep/gmat-exam-prep/gmat-data-sufficiency-expert-tips

[@vietchinhnguyen4765]

For Q5, not sure if the reasoning I used is 'appropriate' but here I did it as follows: - the {x} part blah blah already scared me shitless so I turn a blind eye, set it aside, and get on with the rest of the question stem. - we are given p hours and intervals of 15 min, so I break the p hours into each interval of 15 min as p*60/15 >> The cost of the video should be: 140 + 20(p*60/15-1) (Reasoning: we have in total p*60/15 interval, the first interval cost $140; the rest cost 20 each) Simplify the equation, we have cost of the video as: 120 + 80p. Looking in all the option, we can choose A as it is closest to our calculation. I guess this way wouldn't work if the additional minutes (from after the 1st 15 min) can not be broken into equal intervals

[@happyhummer5889]

I used the same thinking pattern, but I sense I missed something in this process. That is I believe how to justify the {4p} part of the equation?

[@jadmouazen7657]

I just have a question: The average time for answering any quant question is 2mins 9 seconds if i am not mistaken, but it takes the instructor 6 mins+ sometimes to solve it. I know there is explanation time, but for questions like question 6 it is very intimidating that solving such questions on the GMAT will take this much time, especially with the stress and time constraints. Any advice? Love your videos but i noticed this is a common theme.

[@GarethNihongo]

My take on this is that the instructor is Not skipping any step solving an equation, whereas we will absolutely do so in the exam

[@Warhawk8302]

My Dear Friend, How can one compare "Average time for answering any quant question" and the time an INSTRUCTOR takes to explain the entire concept, thought process for the solution and the steps involved. He is supposed to go slowly so everybody understands, this is not an exam practice video lol. All the best for your prep : ) P.S - Also, you are not a machine to answer every question in "2mins 9 seconds". You will naturally find some questions easier and finish them quicker (sometimes even 30 seconds), thereby giving you the liberty to spend more time on the difficult ones.

[@6uinnn]

Hey y'all, was just wondering if you're going to be going over and remake every video from the GMAT Quant playlist or only a select few of them?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

We're remaking everything in the quant playlist. In most cases, the remakes aren't really an overhaul of the content -- relatively little has changed in terms of the actual quant content of the GMAT, other than the removal of geometry. But in the older videos, we use outdated language -- for example, we refer to the old score scale, or treat DS as part of quant -- so we're refreshing all of the videos. It'll take us another month or two to get them all filmed, edited, and posted. In the meantime, it's totally fine to watch the old ones -- all of the content is still completely relevant for the current version of the GMAT.

[@shckwave]

For Q6, they mentioned that the salary was at a “daily rate”, but the 11,300 was a “monthly” number. Wouldn’t you need to include - times 30 or 31 (based on the number of days in a month) into the equations?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

No, we don't need to multiply the 11,300 by anything. Brian will work a certain number of days in the month and will earn the daily rate listed for each day, depending on which company he works for. We can then sum the total amount he earns for working those days, which will equal the $11,300 he earned last month. I hope that helps!

[@himakshibatra]

Q5, I assumed that p = 2 hrs which gives us 8 (15 min) periods. Ideally, the editing then would cost 140+20(7)= 280. Putting values in Option A: 120+20{4p} = 120+20{4*2} = 120+20*8= 120+160 = 280. Option A would be right. Is this an okay method? Because {2}=2, braces don't seem to cause a problem.

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

Your method has worked with this set of answer choices, but it wouldn't work if one of the answer choices had been 120 + 80{p}. In the case shown in the video with p = 2.3, the correct charge would be given by 120 + 20{4p} = 320 and 120 + 80{p} would give 360. However, using p = 2, we'd get 120 + 20{4p} = 280 and 120 + 80{p} = 280, so we wouldn't be able to tell these two answers apart. When we use numbers to check specific conditions, we've got to be careful we stretch those conditions as far as possible. Using an integer number of hours for p in this question is risky because the conditions only really change when using a duration such as 2 hours 20 minutes, 3 hours 40 minutes, or something similar. I hope that helps!

[@himakshibatra]

@@GMATNinjaTutoring Thanks

[@jellypush1234]

for the last question, why can't it be true that he worked half a day, or a quarter of a day, etc? It doesn't state explicitly that he either works the full day or none of the day. That was my assumption as I approached the problem, that he could theoretically work less than one day or part of a day, and it confused the problem for me.

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

You're right. Given another chance to write this question, we'd make that explicit to eliminate any possible confusion. The good news is that the real question writers have much more time and resources to test and check the questions on the official exam, so you shouldn't run into any potential ambiguity like this when you take the GMAT for real. Thank you for your comment, and I hope that helps!

[@sparshsinghal7307]

for q5 I was worried about the {x} part so I skipped it, and then I wrote the equation while assuming p=1 hr this gave me=140$ + 20(3), 20(3) as p is 1, so 45min=3 blocks I got the result 200$ then I just plugged in {p} as 1 everywhere and chose where it gave me 200$ as a result, which was A is this an alternative approach? I feel this is a very wrong way of doing it

[@edis9869]

yup same question, if you plug in 1 as a value of P, A is the only right answer so not sure how this works lol

[@bhushanshaligram1995]

In question 2, why didn't we substitute 3s = s+6 and then solved the question from there? In that case, both the statements were required to come to conclusion.

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

We only need to combine the two statements if neither of them is sufficient to answer the question on their own. In this case, statement 1 was sufficient and statement 2 was insufficient to answer the question so the answer was (A). For more on how data sufficiency questions work, check out the link below. I hope that helps! www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep/gmat-exam-prep/gmat-data-sufficiency-expert-tips

[@deobitales3912]

In Q5, how does one know to assume p as 2.3hours ? Like thats an oddly specific time? In the real exam, how do i know what value to assign to a random no of hours p? Sorry, i don't follow the logic here? 🤔 Thanks in advance!

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

There wasn't much logic behind choosing p = 2.3. That was just to illustrate how the new function we were given in the question works. We could have chosen p = 1.7, p = 3.4, p = 8.2, or p = 27.12. As long as we've got a number we can use to test our understanding of the function, it doesn't really matter what the number is. With all that, we'd only have to do that part of the solution if we weren't sure about how the new function works. If you can figure that out without using an example, you can skip the whole part of the solution in which Harry explained what happens when p = 2.3. I hope that helps!

[@nabidishtiaque9303]

Q5 that equation you made 20{4p}+140-20 I didn't understand at all where did the 4p came from? 🙂

[@anaaguerre6774]

For Q2, I did not have that same way of doing it but now I don't understand why I'm wrong. I did it as: Sa=12y+45 just like you but then according to (1) T=S+6 and according to (2) T=3S. So, S+6=3S which ultimately gives S=3 and therefore T=9 so both statements together are sufficient since from there we are able to solve Sa=12y+45... please somebody explain why that's wrong I cannot comprehend

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

Your algebra is totally correct, but that's not where you went wrong in this question. The problem has more to do with the process you need to follow in a Data Sufficiency question. In these problems, we have to check whether we can answer the question using one of the two statements on their own FIRST. We only combine the information in both statements if we know that we cannot answer the question using the information in statement 1 alone or statement 2 alone. In this problem, the information in statement 1 was sufficient to answer the question while the information in statement 2 was insufficient to answer the question. This means the answer is (A). For more on how Data Sufficiency questions work, check out the link below. I hope that helps! www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep/gmat-exam-prep/gmat-data-sufficiency-expert-tips

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

You're absolutely right that we can solve this question using the information in both statements combined. There's nothing wrong with your algebra at all. In a Data Sufficiency question, however, we only combine the information in both statements if we know that the information in each statement individually is not sufficient to answer the question. In Q3, the information in statement 1 is sufficient to answer the question, and the information in statement 2 is insufficient to answer the question. This means the answer is (A) and we don't have to combine the statements to check if they're sufficient together. For more on how Data Sufficiency questions work, check out the link below. I hope that helps! www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep/gmat-exam-prep/gmat-data-sufficiency-expert-tips

[@Xoustus]

For Q3, I’m having a really hard time understanding how 3 weeks left became ( W-3). Could someone explain?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

Let's define w as the number of weeks the team had to reach their sales goal IN TOTAL. We're told the team has made 550 sales from the start of this period and has only 3 weeks left to make the final 4,200 sales. This means they've made 550 sales per week for (w - 3) weeks and needs to make a further 4,200 sales to reach their quota. I hope that helps!

[@sparshsinghal7307]

@@GMATNinjaTutoring so basically w= weeks they have in total to meet their quota 3 = weeks they have left to make 4200 sales x= sales they had planned to make in total 700w= x w-3 gives the amount of sales they've made so far, and to get the amount of sales they've made so far, we do (x-4200), total - sales they need to make would give us sales they've made so far, so the equation would be 550(w-3)=x-4200 550(w-3)+4200=x 700w=x 700w=550(w-3)+4200 right?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

You've got it! That's a great way of thinking about this question.

[@lisacassama54]

For Q1, shouldn't it be 3(A+5)=(B+5). Instead of (A+5)=3(B+5), because they say "Anneka will be 3 times as old as Badshah" ?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

If Anneka is three times as old as Badshah, then Anneka is the older one of the two. If we do 3(A+5)=(B+5), then the value of B will be greater than the value of A, which would suggest that Badshah is older than Anneka and we don't want that. However, if we do (A+5)=3(B+5), then the value of A will be greater than the value of B and Anneka will be older than Badshah. This is consistent with the wording of the question, so this is the way to set up the equation. I hope that helps!

[@nabidishtiaque9303]

Q6 already B C are given and they can easily get A so the main answer should be C together sufficient why did you bring C=5 C=6 here? why make it so complicated or is there anything I am missing?

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

You're absolutely right that we can answer this question using the information in statements 1 and 2 combined. However, we have to check whether we can answer the question using the information in either statement by itself first. We'll only worry about combining the statements once we've checked each of them individually. The solution shown in the video demonstrates that the information in statement 1 is insufficient to answer the question, but the information in statement 2 is sufficient. This is why the answer to this question is (B). I hope that helps!

[@nabidishtiaque9303]

@@GMATNinjaTutoring That's really eye opening 🤍

[@ajayshankar7298]

@@GMATNinjaTutoring Hi Just need to know if I am right or not? Since the daily rate is given in Q6, this means we can also calculate the fraction compensation for som fraction of a day worked also, which means we can even consider the fractional values of number of days worked. This way both statement together have to be sufficient and not sufficient alone. Correct me if I am wrong.

[@sparshsinghal7307]

Q5 seemed so much harder than Q6, Q6 was relatively very easy.

[@paulinanaujo2362]

In Q6: isn't 1) enough to solve the question? or did i get something wrong? I know a + b + c = ? and b=8. And 5a + 48+10c =113 --> 5a+10c=65 I can reformulate a + 2c = 13, as a= 13 - 2c and 2c = 13 - a. From this I get: (13-2c) + 8 + c = ? --> 13+8-2c+c =? --> 5-c = ? ---> c=5. Knowing that I substitute c=5 into a= 13-2c --> a=13-2(5) --> a=3

[@GMATNinjaTutoring]

There's a mistake in your penultimate line. We can't go from saying 5 - c = ? to saying that c = 5 because in making that step, we've lost the unknown. We can say that a + 2c = 13 but then we have to look at the potential outcomes. As Harry showed in the video, we could have a = 3 and c = 5 or a = 1 and c = 6. Since there are two potential outcomes, the information in statement 1 is insufficient to answer this question. I hope that helps!