Miracles.



Seriously though, while taking a GRE Study Exam (I hope the real test is like this--"What is the fraction form of .25?") I came across a question that I couldn't figure out the answer for after it said I was wrong.

Here is the question:



My original answer was 108%, as was everyone's I've asked to read the question.

The answer key is 108.7%.

Explain this witch-magic to me.

10/10/2011 10:16:36 PM

2+2=FISH

10/10/2011 10:18:55 PM

The answer is magnets.

10/10/2011 10:19:59 PM

100/92 = magic

10/10/2011 10:20:23 PM

Quote :

"2+2=FISH"

10/10/2011 10:20:24 PM

^^lol

10/10/2011 10:22:07 PM

i thought science was miracles

10/10/2011 10:22:17 PM

1/(1-0.08)*100 = 108.695652. So... 108.7% ?

10/10/2011 10:22:59 PM

i got 108.695692

10/10/2011 10:23:23 PM

If in 2007 it was 100, in 2008 it was 92.

...

[Edited on October 10, 2011 at 10:24 PM. Reason : what they said and shit]

10/10/2011 10:23:36 PM

damn I did well on the GRE math part, but reading that question I just dont have the attention span to care to think about what it's asking for

10/10/2011 10:23:46 PM

^That might be what happened here.

Nothing to see here folks carry on.

[Edited on October 10, 2011 at 10:24 PM. Reason : f]

10/10/2011 10:24:27 PM

I shit answers to questions like this at will.

10/10/2011 10:25:57 PM

^maybe you should stop eating textbook answer keys

10/10/2011 10:29:29 PM

^^Ugh your shits must be so fibrous and pulpy from all that paper.

10/10/2011 10:31:37 PM

There was a .7% bailout tax in 2008

10/10/2011 10:50:00 PM

nice how jaybee didn't answer the question, but bragged about being "smart"

10/10/2011 10:51:50 PM

just add 3 to both sides

10/10/2011 11:02:24 PM

^^ But surely no one would lie on the internet, would they?

10/10/2011 11:03:34 PM

Long Proof:



If you mark up $100 by 17% you get $117 because you take 17% of 100 = 17 and add it to 100.
In other words, a markup of 17% is $100 x 1.17.

If you mark down $117 down by 8% you get $107.64 because you take 8% of $117 = 9.36 and subtract it from $117.

So the dollar amount for the sales of 2007 is $117
So the dollar amount for the sales of 2008 is $107.64

The question is asking what the percent of $117 was to $107.64.
In other words, $117 is what percentage of $107.64?

IS/OF = X/100

$117/$107.64 = X/100
X = 108.69565217391304347826086956522

10/10/2011 11:25:47 PM

10/10/2011 11:54:35 PM

Quote :

"Skwinkle: If in 2007 it was 100, in 2008 it was 92. "

10/10/2011 11:56:35 PM

^^^why would you do all that? The 2006 figure is just in there to confuse.

10/11/2011 12:01:37 AM

The question is ambiguous and since it is a college level question, I figured they'd ask the more difficult of the ambiguous options.

10/11/2011 12:03:09 AM

It's the same answer. You just did way more work for no reason.

10/11/2011 12:04:15 AM

your first hint should be that it asks you to round to the nearest tenth.

This reminds me of the people who think if there is a sales tax free weekend and the sales tax is 7% that you are saving 7%.

You aren't. It's only 6.54% off.

[Edited on October 11, 2011 at 12:08 AM. Reason : a]

10/11/2011 12:07:06 AM

lol

10/11/2011 12:16:02 AM

Quote :

"nice how jaybee didn't answer the question, but bragged about being "smart" "

someone had already answered it... some of us dont repost things that other people have already done over and over and over

10/11/2011 12:42:19 AM

the burn.....

10/11/2011 12:44:47 AM

there are no sales figures for 2008. the chart says to 2008, not through 2008

10/11/2011 3:14:22 AM

Long Proof:

Suppose 2006 sales were $2,098,653.50

If you mark up $2,098,653.50 by 17% you get $2,455,424.595 because you take 17% of 2,098,653.50 = 356,771.095 and add it to 2,098,653.50.
In other words, a markup of 17% is $2,098,653.50 x 1.17.

If you mark down $2,455,424.595 down by 8% you get $2,258,990.6274 because you take 8% of $2,455,424.595 = 196,433.9676 and subtract it from $2,455,424.595.

So the dollar amount for the sales of 2007 is $2,455,424.595
So the dollar amount for the sales of 2008 is $2,258,990.6274

The question is asking what the percent of $2,455,424.595 was to $2,258,990.6274.
In other words, $2,455,424.595 is what percentage of $2,258,990.6274?

IS/OF = X/100

$2,455,424.595/$2,258,990.6274 = X/100
X = 108.69565217391304347826086956522

10/11/2011 7:14:41 AM

^ Well played. I lolled.

10/11/2011 12:24:58 PM

rofl

I'm Krallum and i approved this message.

10/11/2011 12:45:19 PM

simple problem that has a simple answer really requires a complex and over thought answer to spoof people in believing the simple problem is actually a complicated one.

10/11/2011 2:59:18 PM

I disagree. The syntax of "was what percent of" is what makes the problem difficult. The math is elementary.

It doesn't say "is what percent of" it says "was what percent of"

What is the different between is and was in this problem?

10/11/2011 3:05:42 PM

umm, was, cuz it was in the fucking past

10/11/2011 3:15:33 PM

The year was in the past, but what the dollar figure IS, is still the same presently for 2007.

[Edited on October 11, 2011 at 3:20 PM. Reason : but, not by]

10/11/2011 3:17:11 PM

Math is a language, and all this takes is a word by word translation.

"The dollar amount of sales for 2007 was what percent of the dollar amount of sales for 2008?"

(2007 sales) = (what percent) * (2008 sales)

Is/Was = Equals
Of = Multiply

Insert arbitrary numbers for 2007 and 2008 sales, and solve. 100 = (what percent) * 92

It's the same as everyone else said, but looking at the solution as a translated sentence can help.

[Edited on October 11, 2011 at 3:39 PM. Reason : a]

10/11/2011 3:38:09 PM

Quote :

"damn I did well on the GRE math part, but reading that question I just dont have the attention span to care to think about what it's asking for "

I think this is my problem with math in general

10/11/2011 3:40:44 PM

my brain has fucking atrophied since i graduated

im fucked if i ever want to go back to school

10/11/2011 3:59:04 PM

Quote :

"Is/Was = Equals"

You have to understand that Is and Was could be two different values. You have to understand. You do understand, don't you?

10/11/2011 4:52:08 PM

No, I don't.

10/11/2011 5:11:36 PM

What's the definition of "is"?

10/11/2011 5:14:16 PM

Quote :

"is [iz] Origin Like this word? Hiring Tax Incentives National Leaders In Federal & State Hiring Tax Credits. Proven Results! http://www.alliantgroup.com Why Men Lose Attraction 10 Ugly Mistakes Women Make That Ruin Any Chances Of A Relationship CatchHimAndKeepHim.com English Grammar Checker Correct All Grammar Errors And Enhance Your English. Try Now! Ads http://www.Grammarly.com/Grammar_Checker is [iz] Show IPA verb 1. 3rd person singular present indicative of be. English Classes - Houston ESL, Portuguese, Spanish, French Language & Translation Services Ad http://www.LangDirect.com Idiom 2. as is. as1 ( def. 25 ) . Is is one of our favorite verbs. So is kibitz. Does it mean: to spend time idly; loaf. chat, to converse LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH FLASHCARDS... Study Abroad with API Earn college credit & see the world Europe, Latin America, Middle East Ad http://www.apistudyabroad.com Origin: before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch is, Old Norse es, er, German, Gothic ist, Latin est, Greek estí, OCS jesti, Sanskrit asti Dictionary.com Unabridged is- variant of iso- before a vowel: isallobar. Is. 1. Isaiah. 2. island. 3. isle. is. 1. island. 2. isle. be [bee; unstressed bee, bi] Show IPA verb and auxiliary verb, present singular 1st person am, 2nd are or ( Archaic ) art, 3rd is, present plural are; past singular 1st person was, 2nd were or ( Archaic ) wast or wert, 3rd was, past plural were; present subjunctive be; past subjunctive singular 1st person were, 2nd were or ( Archaic ) wert, 3rd were; past subjunctive plural were; past participle been; present participle be·ing. verb (used without object) 1. to exist or live: Shakespeare's “To be or not to be” is the ultimate question. 2. to take place; happen; occur: The wedding was last week. 3. to occupy a place or position: The book is on the table. 4. to continue or remain as before: Let things be. 5. to belong; attend; befall: May good fortune be with you. EXPAND auxiliary verb 8. (used with the present participle of another verb to form the progressive tense): I am waiting. 9. (used with the present participle or infinitive of the principal verb to indicate future action): She is visiting there next week. He is to see me today. 10. (used with the past participle of another verb to form the passive voice): The date was fixed. It must be done. 11. (used in archaic or literary constructions with some intransitive verbs to form the perfect tense): He is come. Agamemnon to the wars is gone. Origin: before 900; Middle English been, Old English beon ( beo- (akin to Old Frisian, Old High German bim, German bin, Old Saxon bium, biom (I) am, Old English, Old High German, Old Saxon buan, Old Norse bua reside, Latin fui (I) have been, Greek phy- grow, become, Old Irish boí (he) was, Sanskrit bhávati (he) becomes, is, Lithuanian búti to be, OCS byti, Persian bud was)) + -n infinitive suffix. See am, is, are1 , was, were Can be confused: be, bee. Usage note See me. I, i [ahy] Show IPA noun, plural I's or Is, i's or is. 1. the ninth letter of the English alphabet, a vowel. 2. any spoken sound represented by the letter I or i, as in big, nice, or ski. 3. something having the shape of an I. 4. a written or printed representation of the letter I or i. 5. a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter I or i. I [ahy] Show IPA pronoun, nominative I, possessive my or mine, objective me; plural nominative we, possessive our or ours, objective us; noun, plural I's. pronoun 1. the nominative singular pronoun, used by a speaker in referring to himself or herself. noun 2. (used to denote the narrator of a literary work written in the first person singular). 3. Metaphysics . the ego. Origin: before 900; Middle English ik, ich, i; Old English ic, ih; cognate with German ich, Old Norse ek, Latin ego, Greek eg?, OCS azu, Lithuanian aš, Sanskrit ahám Usage note See me. Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011. Cite This Source | Link To is Collins World English Dictionary is 1 (?z) — vb (used with he, she, it, and with singular nouns ) a form of the present tense (indicative mood) of be [Old English; compare Old Norse es, German ist, Latin est, Greek esti ] is 2 — the internet domain name for Iceland IS — abbreviation for Iceland (international car registration) [Icelandic lsland ] Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition 2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 Cite This Source Etymonline Word Origin & History I 12c. shortening of O.E. ic, first person sing. nom. pronoun, from P.Gmc. *ekan (cf. O.Fris. ik, O.N. ek, Norw. eg, Dan. jeg, O.H.G. ih, Ger. ich, Goth. ik), from PIE *ego(m) (cf. Skt. aham, Hitt. uk, L. ego, Gk. ego, Rus. ja). Reduced to i by 1137 in northern England, it began to be capitalized c.1250 EXPAND Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Cite This Source Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary BE definition Function: abbreviation 1 barium enema 2 below elbow 3 board-eligible I definition Function: symbol iodine Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc. Cite This Source American Heritage Be The symbol for the element beryllium . I The symbol for the element iodine . i The symbol for current . is- pref. Variant of iso-. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Cite This Source American Heritage Science Dictionary beryllium (b?-ril'e-?m) Pronunciation Key Symbol Be A hard, lightweight, steel-gray metallic element of the alkaline-earth group, found in various minerals, especially beryl. It has a high melting point and is corrosion-resistant. Beryllium is used to make sturdy, lightweight alloys and aerospace structural materials. It is also used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. Atomic number 4; atomic weight 9.0122; melting point 1,278°C; boiling point 2,970°C; specific gravity 1.848; valence 2. See Periodic Table. i (i) Pronunciation Key The number whose square is equal to -1. numbers expressed in terms of i are called imaginary or complex numbers. I The symbol for electric current. The symbol for iodine . iodine (i'?-din') Pronunciation Key Symbol I A shiny, grayish-black element of the halogen group. It is corrosive and poisonous and occurs in very small amounts in nature except for seaweed, in which it is abundant. Iodine compounds are used in medicine, antiseptics, and dyes. Atomic number 53; atomic weight 126.9045; melting point 113.5°C; boiling point 184.35°C; specific gravity (solid, at 20°C) 4.93; valence 1, 3, 5, 7. See Periodic Table. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. Cite This Source FOLDOC Computing Dictionary IS definition 1. International Standard. 2. Intermediate System. is definition networking The country code for Iceland. (1999-01-27) The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org Cite This Source American Heritage Abbreviations & Acronyms is Icelandic Introduced in Senate Is Isaiah IS Iceland (international vehicle ID) information services The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Cite This Source"

10/11/2011 5:16:06 PM

Cool.

10/11/2011 5:22:36 PM

is [iz]
Origin Like this word?

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10/11/2011 6:50:39 PM

Quote :

"The question is ambiguous"

no, it asked you to write the ratio of sales at T in 2007 to sales at T in 2008 as a percentage

10/11/2011 8:39:31 PM

^^ Yes, that helped the first time, but seeing again reinforces the definition. Thank you both for your contribution.

I will avoid using "is" if I want to avoid ruining any chance of a relationship.



[Edited on October 11, 2011 at 8:50 PM. Reason : CatchHimANDKeepHim.com]

10/11/2011 8:49:16 PM