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Free GMAT Multi-Source Reasoning Practice Question

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A regional food-bank network is choosing which of its candidate distribution hubs to activate for a new fresh-produce program. The produce is perishable, so a hub can be activated for the program only if it clears all three of the following requirements; a hub that misses any one is not activated, no matter how strong it is on the others.

Cold storage: the hub must have at least 2,000 cubic feet of refrigerated storage. Volunteer coverage: the hub must field at least 30 regular volunteers. Access: the hub must be within 8 miles of the network's central depot, so produce arrives same-day.

Requirements are checked in the order listed; the network screens cold storage first, then volunteers, then access, and stops checking a hub as soon as it fails a requirement.

The program coordinator is reasoning about daily produce flow. Assume the activation outcome from the sources. For each of the following statements, select Correct if it follows from the sources; otherwise select Incorrect.

Statement 1: The activated hubs' combined daily capacity is less than the 5,000 pounds the supplier delivers, so some produce is redirected outside the program each day. Statement 2: If Marwick's refrigerated storage were measured at 1,950 cubic feet instead of 2,000, the program would distribute 1,500 fewer pounds of produce per day. Statement 3: Activating one more hub from among the candidates would let the program distribute all 5,000 pounds the supplier delivers each day.

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Answer & Explanation

Correct answer

1: Correct · 2: Correct · 3: Incorrect

Three hubs clear all gates: Harlow, Larkfield, Marwick; each moves 1,500 lb/day and the supplier delivers 5,000 lb/day. Statement 1: combined capacity = 3 × 1,500 = 4,500, below 5,000, so the 500-lb surplus is redirected. Correct.

Statement 2: Marwick passes cold storage exactly at 2,000; drop it to 1,950 and Marwick fails gate one, so only Harlow and Larkfield remain, dropping capacity from 4,500 to 3,000, which is 1,500 fewer pounds distributed (both totals are below the 5,000 supply, so the lost hub's full capacity is lost distribution). Correct.

Statement 3: adding one hub raises capacity to 6,000, which exceeds 5,000, but no remaining candidate can be activated (Ingleside, Jessup, Kestrel each fail a gate), so there is no one more hub to add. Incorrect because its premise is false.