Questions about the world of GMAT Math from other sources and general math related questions.
Navneet
Students
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:54 am
 

PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by Navneet Thu Dec 25, 2014 12:35 am

Hi Ron
A and B drive a bicycle one by one (Other one sitting behind) Speed of A is 2km/h and B is 3km/h and average speed for whole journey is 2.5km/h. What is ratio of distance they traveled.
A. 1:3
B. 1:2
C. 1:4
D. 2:3
E. 3:2

Answer is 2:3 (I framed this question on my own)
Here I want to know why ratio of time they traveled is 1:1
In fact If average speed is 2.8 then ratio of distance is 1:6 but again ratio of time is 1:4
Every time ratio of time is
A:B - (Speed of B- Average speed) : (Average Speed - Speed of A).
Though I remembered this, I unable to visualize why this is happening.
Navneet
Students
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:54 am
 

Re: PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by Navneet Thu Dec 25, 2014 8:03 am

I have tried two methods to visualize ( And didn't get any way out)
1. Thinking of See Saw ( Unsuccessful )
2. I Tried to think it as work rate problem ( Easy to visualize)
A can do 2 units work/day and B 3unit/day
Total work done is ( Say in 10 days by each working alone) = 2.8*10 = 28
Now there will be unique solution for
2*a ( number of day A work) + 3*b ( number of day A work) = 28
Which is 3*8 +2*2 = 28
Still unable to visualize why number of days they work are coming like 1:4
Still puzzled why
A:B - (Work rate of B- Average) : (Average - Work rate of A).

Please help if there is any logical way
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by RonPurewal Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:15 am

i can't tell exactly what you're asking... are you asking what the correct ratio is? or are you asking why it works? or ...?

if you could ask your question in a way that fits into 1-2 lines of text, that would be helpful.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by RonPurewal Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:17 am

also—if you don't find a certain shortcut intuitive, then it's probably best not to use it.

i.e., if whatever "weighted-average shortcut" doesn't make sense to your intuition, then just go with the normal, non-shortcut way of calculating weighted averages.
Navneet
Students
 
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:54 am
 

Re: PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by Navneet Mon Dec 29, 2014 10:23 am

This means some times we need to use school methods to solve problems.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: PS - A and B drive a bicycle one by one

by RonPurewal Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:57 am

Navneet Wrote:This means some times we need to use school methods to solve problems.


sometimes? of course.

the point of this test is to be flexible. you should try to absorb as many different problem-solving methods as you can.