The given question is a GMAT 650 level problem solving question from the topic Percentages. The concept tested in this GMAT sample question is to find the whole given a part and information about what % of the whole is the part.

Question 7: In an election contested by two parties, Party D secured 12% of the total votes more than Party R. If party R got 132,000 votes, by how many votes did it lose the election?

1. 240,000
2. 300,000
3. 168,000
4. 36,000
5. 24,000

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Video Explanation

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Explanatory Answer | GMAT Percentages

Step 1 of solving this GMAT Percents Question: Compute the percentage of votes secured by D and R individually

The keyword in this question is that Party D secured 12% of total votes more than Party R. It is 12% of all votes.
Let the percentage of the total votes secured by Party D be x%
Therefore, the percentage of total votes secured by Party R = (x − 12)%

As there are only two parties contesting the election, the sum of the votes secured by the two parties should add up to 100%.
i.e., x + x − 12 = 100
2x − 12 = 100
or 2x = 112 or x = 56%.

If Party D got 56% of the total votes, then Party R would have got (56 − 12) = 44% of the total votes.

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Step 2 of solving this GMAT Percentage Question: Find the total number of votes secured and margin of votes by which R lost

Party R got 132,000 votes. Party R got 44% of the total votes.
∴ 44% of the total votes = 132,000
i.e., \\frac{44}{100}) × Total votes = 132,000
=> Total votes = \\frac{132000 × 100}{44}) = 300,000 votes.

The margin by which Party R lost the election = 12% of the total votes
= 12% of 300,000 = 36,000.
Party R lost the election by 36,000 votes.

Choice D is the correct answer.