Last Updated on May 9, 2023

GMAT OFFICIAL GUIDE DS

Solution:

We can start by defining a variable for the total number of people on the cruise, variable T.  We are given that 2/3 of the passengers were company employees and that the remaining passengers were their guests. Thus, if (2/3)T = the number of employees, then 1 – (2/3)T = (1/3)T are their guests.

We are also given that ¾ of the company-employee passengers were managers. However, we are asked to determine the number of company-employee passengers who were NOT managers. Since ¾ are managers, ¼ are not managers.

1/4(2/3)T = employees who are NOT managers

(1/6)T = employees who are NOT managers

We see that if we can determine a value for T, we can determine the number of company-employee passengers who were NOT managers

Statement One Alone: 

There were 690 passengers on the cruise.

Using the information in statement one, we see that T = 690. Since we have determined a value for T, we can determine the number of company-employee passengers who were NOT managers. Statement one alone is sufficient to answer the question. We can eliminate answer choices B, C, and E.

Statement Two Alone: 

There were 230 passengers who were guests of the company employees.

From the given information we know that (1/3)T represents the number of passengers who were guests of company employees. Thus, we can say:

230 = (1/3)T

690 = T

Since we have determined a value for T, we can determine the number of company-employee passengers who were NOT managers. Statement two alone is also sufficient to answer the question.

Answer: D