There are 350 objects in a box. Of these objects, 4% are balls. How many balls are in the box?
GMAT Problem-Solving and Data Analysis : (PS_DA) Questions
There are \(350\) objects in a box. Of these objects, \(4\%\) are balls. How many balls are in the box?
4
14
70
346
1. TRANSLATE the problem information
- Given information:
- Total objects in box: 350
- Percentage that are balls: 4%
- What we need to find: The actual number of balls
2. TRANSLATE the question into mathematical terms
- "4% of the 350 objects are balls" means we need to calculate:
\(4\% \times 350\)
3. SIMPLIFY the percentage calculation
- Convert 4% to decimal: \(4\% = \frac{4}{100} = 0.04\)
- Calculate: \(0.04 \times 350 = 14\)
Answer: B. 14
Why Students Usually Falter on This Problem
Most Common Error Path:
Weak TRANSLATE skill: Students may not understand that they need to calculate a percentage of the total.
Instead of calculating \(4\%\) of \(350\), they might think the answer is simply the percentage itself (4) or get confused about what the percentage represents. This may lead them to select Choice A (4).
Second Most Common Error:
Poor SIMPLIFY execution: Students may make calculation errors when converting the percentage or doing the multiplication.
They might incorrectly calculate \(4\%\) of \(350\), perhaps getting confused with place values or decimal conversion, potentially leading to Choice C (70) or other incorrect values.
The Bottom Line:
This problem tests the fundamental understanding that a percentage represents a portion of a whole quantity. Students must recognize that finding "\(4\%\) of \(350\)" requires multiplication, not just identifying the percentage value itself.
4
14
70
346