A certain mobile-phone video game consists of four puzzles, which players can attempt in any order. No puzzle is part...

GMAT Multi Source Reasoning : (MSR) Questions

Source: Mock

Multi Source Reasoning

Conditions

MEDIUM

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Notes

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Game Elements

Puzzle Details

Item Values

A certain mobile-phone video game consists of four puzzles, which players can attempt in any order. No puzzle is part of another. The puzzles, from easiest to most difficult, are:

Forest
Desert
Mountain
Ocean

The puzzles require players to use items of various types. The player begins the game with exactly 3 items, one of each of the following types:

Compass
Bottle
Rope

Each of a player's items can be either used once in solving a puzzle or exchanged once for coins—the in-game currency—but not both. Coins are used to purchase items. The player begins the game with 0 coins.

Ques. 1/3

Suppose that the game's designer added to the game a fifth puzzle—the Cave puzzle that requires players to use 1 Lantern and 4 additional items of any type. Assuming that nothing else has changed, which one of the following is the minimum number of coins a player who currently has no items would have to spend to purchase all of the items necessary to solve the Cave puzzle?

Solution

Owning the Dataset

Understanding Source A: Text - Game Elements

Information from Dataset	Analysis
""A certain mobile-phone video game consists of four puzzles, which players can attempt in any order. No puzzle is part of another.""	The game has exactly 4 distinct puzzles Players have complete freedom in choosing puzzle order Inference: Each puzzle is independent and self-contained
""The puzzles, from easiest to most difficult, are: Forest, Desert, Mountain, Ocean""	There's a clear difficulty progression from Forest (easiest) to Ocean (hardest) Inference: This ranking possibly affects player strategy
""The player begins the game with exactly 3 items, one of each of the following types: Compass, Bottle, Rope""	Starting inventory is fixed and limited Player has exactly one of each specified item type Inference: No other items are provided at game start
""Each of a player's items can be either used once in solving a puzzle or exchanged once for coins—the in-game currency—but not both.""	Items have a single-use constraint Inference: Players face a strategic choice: use items for puzzles OR convert to coins Inference: Once an item is used/exchanged, it's permanently consumed
""Coins are used to purchase items. The player begins the game with 0 coins.""	Coins are the only way to acquire new items Players start with no purchasing power Inference: Initial coins must come from exchanging starting items or solving puzzles

Summary: This game features 4 independent puzzles of increasing difficulty, where players start with 3 specific items and must strategically decide whether to use items for puzzles or exchange them for coins.

Understanding Source B: Table - Puzzle Details

Table Analysis:
The table shows puzzle requirements and rewards for all four puzzles
Key patterns observed:
- Forest requires only Compass with 0 additional items (simplest)
- Desert and Mountain each require their specific item plus 1 additional item
- Ocean requires a Boat plus 3 additional items (most complex)
Key Findings:
- Difficulty correlates with both resource needs and coin rewards
- Ocean puzzle requires a non-starting item type (Boat)
- The three starting items (Compass, Bottle, Rope) exactly match the required items for the first three puzzles
- Puzzle rewards (20-50 coins) provide the coin generation method mentioned in Source A

Summary: Each puzzle requires specific items matching the starting inventory for the first three, while Ocean puzzle requires players to acquire a new item type (Boat), forcing engagement with the coin economy.

Understanding Source C: Table - Item Values

Table Analysis:
The table displays purchase prices and exchange values for 8 item types
Key patterns observed:
- Items are tiered: Clock/Mirror (10/5), Compass/Lantern (15/10), Rope/Battery/Bottle (20/15), Boat (30/20)
- All items retain 50-75% of purchase value when exchanged
- Boat is the most expensive item at 30 coins
Key Findings:
- Three starting items (Compass, Bottle, Rope) fall across different pricing tiers
- Starting items have exchange values of 10 (Compass) and 15 each (Bottle, Rope), totaling 40 coins if all exchanged
- Boat purchase price (30 coins) can be covered by exchanging all starting items, but leaves little for additional items needed

Summary: The item economy shows tiered pricing where starting items could generate 40 coins if exchanged, just enough to purchase the Boat needed for Ocean puzzle but forcing difficult trade-offs.

Overall Summary

The game creates a resource management challenge where players start with exactly the items needed for the first three puzzles but must generate coins to attempt the Ocean puzzle
Since players begin with 0 coins and need 30 coins to purchase the required Boat, they must either exchange starting items (worth 40 coins total) or complete puzzles (earning 20-50 coins each)
This forces strategic decisions from the beginning: using items directly for puzzles provides coin rewards but consumes the items, while exchanging items provides immediate coins but sacrifices puzzle-solving resources

Problem Analysis

Question Analysis

In plain terms: What is the minimum number of coins needed to buy 1 Lantern plus 4 additional items (of any type) starting with no items and no coins?
Key constraints:
- Must buy exactly 1 Lantern (mandatory item)
- Must buy 4 additional items of any type
- Player starts with zero items and zero coins
- Find the minimal total coin cost to fulfill puzzle requirements
Answer type needed: Numerical value representing minimum total coins required

Connecting to Our Passage Analysis

Analyze item costs from the provided information and calculate the minimum sum for 1 Lantern plus 4 cheapest additional items
Can answer from analysis alone: YES - all item prices are provided enabling direct computation

Solution Analysis

Extracting Relevant Findings

The Lantern costs 15 coins
The cheapest other items are Clock and Mirror, each costing 10 coins
The total minimal cost is 15 + 4 × 10 = 55 coins
Lantern price: 15 coins; cheapest additional items: 10 coins each
Minimum total cost = 15 + 40 = 55 coins (Lantern + 4 × 10 cheapest items)

Statement Evaluations

Statement 1 Analysis

""15""

Statement: Check if only buying 1 Lantern for 15 coins is enough
Cost: 15 coins
Expected: 55 coins
Difference: -40
INCORRECT - Does not cover the required 4 additional items

Statement 2 Analysis

""40""

Statement: Check if buying 4 cheapest items for 40 coins is enough without Lantern
Cost: 40 coins
Expected: 55 coins
Difference: -15
INCORRECT - Lantern is missing

Statement 3 Analysis

""50""

Verify each option against puzzle requirements and costs:
Option 50 coins: insufficient by 5 coins for Lantern plus 4 items
INCORRECT

Statement 4 Analysis

""55""

Statement: Check if buying 1 Lantern plus 4 cheapest items for total 55 coins is sufficient
Cost: 55 coins
Expected: 55 coins
Difference: 0
CORRECT - Exactly meets requirements

Statement 5 Analysis

""70""

Option 70 coins: more than required, not minimal
INCORRECT

Systematic Checking

Verify each option against puzzle requirements and costs:
Option 15 coins: buys Lantern only, missing 4 items
Option 40 coins: buys 4 items only, missing Lantern
Option 50 coins: insufficient by 5 coins for Lantern plus 4 items
Option 55 coins: exactly sufficient for Lantern and 4 cheapest items
Option 70 coins: more than required, not minimal

Answer

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