GMAT: Math 45 | Problem solving | GMAT | Khan Academy

TL;DR

Researchers are assigned to teams A and B, with a majority (70%) preferring team A. The lowest possible number of researchers who will not be assigned to their preferred team is 15.

Transcript

We're on problem 214. Of the 50 researchers in a work group, 40% will be assigned to team A. So let's call that team A. Of the 50 researchers working, 40% percent will be assigned to team A. So 40% of 50, that's equal to 20 go to team A. And the remaining 60% go to team B. So B gets the remaining 60%, which is 30 people, right? 60% percent of 50 is... Read More

Key Insights

• 😤 There is a dilemma in assigning researchers to teams A and B, with a majority preferring team A.
• #️⃣ The lowest possible number of researchers who will not be assigned to their preferred team is determined by the difference between the number of researchers and the number of spots available.
• 🥺 Assigning researchers based on their preferences can lead to some researchers being assigned to a team they do not prefer.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the lowest possible number of researchers who will not be assigned to their preferred team?

The lowest possible number is 15 researchers who prefer team B but get assigned to team A due to limited spots.

Q: What percentage of researchers prefer team A and team B?

70% of the researchers prefer team A, while 30% prefer team B.

Q: How many researchers will be assigned to team A and team B?

20 researchers will be assigned to team A, and 30 researchers will be assigned to team B.

Q: What is the best scenario for team assignments?

The best scenario involves 20 researchers getting team A, and the remaining 15 researchers, who prefer team B, getting assigned to team B.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• 40% of the 50 researchers will be assigned to team A, which is 20 people, while the remaining 60% will be assigned to team B, which is 30 people.

• Despite 70% of the researchers preferring team A and 30% preferring team B, the lowest possible number of researchers who will not be assigned to their preferred team is 15.

• The best scenario is where 20 people get team A and the remaining 15 people, who prefer team B, get assigned to team B.