Questions about the world of GMAT Math from other sources and general math related questions.
maolivie
 
 

Trouble with convenience store question...

by maolivie Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:52 pm

A convenience store currently stocks 48 bottles of mineral water. The bottles have two sizes of either 20 or 40 ounces each. The average volume per bottle the store currently has in stock is 35 ounces. How many 40 ounce bottles must be sold for the average volume per bottle to be reduced to 25 ounces if no 20 ounce bottles are sold?

10
20
30
32
34

I'm having trouble understanding MGMAT explanation. I understand the calculations, but then the very last step it says:

"Since it would take 4 forty oz. bottles along with 12 twenty oz. bottles to yield an average volume of 25 oz, 36 - 4 = 32 forty oz. bottles must be sold.
The correct answer is D. "

The part in bold is where I get lost. Why would we subtract 4 when the work clearly shows 12 20 ounce bottle and 4 40 ounce bottles is the only combo that leads to an average of 25, yet the explanation says 12 20 ounce bottles and 32 40 ounce bottles?
There is something I clearly am not getting...
prepforgmat
 
 

by prepforgmat Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:19 pm

we already have 12 20oz and 36 40oz bottles(total 48 bottles) to get 35oz per bottle average. To get to an average of 25 oz per bottle, we require 4 40 oz bottles and 12 20 oz bottles. the question says we should not sell any 20oz bottles and to get to 4 40oz bottle we have to sell 32 40oz bottles.
maolivie
 
 

by maolivie Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:13 am

wow, i clearly wasn't thinking. Thanks