Word Problem - Quantitative Comparison

[vikasapkal]

After 3 females leave a party, there are thrice as many males as females. After 8 males leave the party, there are twice as many males as females.

Column A: Total no. of people left at party after 8 males leave

Column B: 24

Source - Score800 Practice test.

[tommywallach]

Hey All,

Before I solve, I want to emphasize that from what I've seen, this source of questions is NOT VIABLE for study on the GRE. This individual question is okay, but it's still not totally realistic (see my note at the end). If nothing else, the GRE is no longer scored out of 800, so the company is very badly named! : )

F = females, M = males

First sentence becomes --> 3 (F -3) = M
Second sentence becomes --> 2F = M - 8

Now solve:

3F - 9 = M
2F = M - 8

Combine:

2F = 3F - 9 - 8

17 = F

Plug back in to solve for M:

42 = M

Total number of people at party = 59

Total number of people after 8 people leave = 51

Again, I want to emphasize that these questions are terribly written (the solution here is so far away from 24, which the GRE almost never does). I really wouldn't use this as a source of questions anymore.

Hope that helps!

-t