GMAT OFFICIAL GUIDE PS

Solution:

To solve this question we can use the weighted average equation.

Weighted Average = (Sum of Weighted Terms) / (Total Number of Items)

We’ll first determine the sum (numerator). We see that on the first day we had 8 items that averaged 12 3/8 pounds. We don’t know the weights of the individual packages, but we can determine that the sum of all 8 packages is:

Sum of first day’s packages = 8 x 12 3/8 = 99 pounds

Similarly, the sum of the second day’s packages is:

Sum of second day’s packages = 4 x 15 ¼ = 61

We now can use the weighted average equation to find the average weight of the 12 packages:

Weighted Average = (99 + 61) / 12

Weighted Average = 160 /12

Weighted Average = 13 1/3

Answer: A

About The Author

Jeffrey Miller is the head GMAT instructor for Target Test Prep. Jeff has more than fourteen years of experience in the business of helping students with low GMAT scores hurdle the seemingly impossible and achieve the scores they need to get into the top 20 business school programs in the world, including HBS, Stanford, Wharton, and Columbia. Jeff has cultivated many successful business school graduates through his GMAT instruction, and will be a pivotal resource for many more to follow.