This UP MBA Proficiency Exam Reviewer article was written on March 25, 2013 and updated on March 24, 2020
I vividly remember the time when I took the UP MBA Proficiency Exam. The thing I remember the most is that I hope that I have a UP MBA Proficiency Exam Reviewer!
I was jittery back then, but I was feeling confident that I will somehow pass the UP MBA Proficiency Exam.
I didn’t really take too much time to study algebra in detail, as I knew I’ve aced the UP MBA GPAT. The bulk of the UP MBA GPAT quantitative exam in algebra questions.
Plus, I never had a UP MBA Reviewer for the Proficiency Exam, hence, relying on what I just remember.
Then ….. I WAS WRONG! I eventually flunked the algebra part of the UP MBA Proficiency Exam, in which I needed to retake after the UP MBA workshops.
I somehow remember one question from the Algebra part of the UP MBA proficiency exam reviewer – the Mensa Question.
Honestly, it gave me headaches when I first read the question.
It said, quoted in parenthesis, in the first part of the question that “the question is very easy but you will need your imagination and creativity to answer this question correctly“.
I did use my imagination on my first try, but in the end, my answer is incorrect (better imagination maybe?). When the question was discussed in the UP MBA Workshop, I felt so clueless that the question is so easy to answer.
Try it yourself.
Maybe this can help you and be an important part of your UP MBA Reviewer! A similar question, though not 100% identical to the UP MBA Proficiency Exam Question, and its solution is written below.
Just one suggestion, PLEASE read the problem first, try to answer it then compare your answers to the solutions.
The Mensa toy store is having a special sale of used toys. Everybody is confused about the prices. At this sale, a TRUCK costs $220, a CART costs $170, and a BALL costs $170. How much would a SHOVEL (the kind a child might use at the beach) cost under the Mensa system of setting prices? What would a TRAIN cost? What would a TEDDY BEAR cost?
- This is a system of equations problem. In this case, we need to set-up at least 2 equations. In order to do that, we need to use our imagination and creativity.
- Your creativity will be needed in the assumption of variables. Now, let us define two unknowns: one for consonants and one for vowels, or C and V variables respectively.
- Our system of equations is:
- 4C + 1V = 220 (Truck)
- 3C + 1V = 170 (Ball)
- 3C + 1V = 170 (Cart)
- Now, we have 2 equations with 2 unknowns! ( #2 & #3 are the same) We can now solve for the value of a consonant and a vowel (variables C and V).
- Using algebra, we can solve for the variable V by simplifying equation #2. The resulting equation is: V = -3C + 170
- We then substitute the resulting value of V to the variable V found in equation #1. The equation looks like:
4C + 1(-3C + 170) = 220 >>> 4C – 3C = 220 – 170 >>> C = 50
- We now have the value for C, which is $50. We now substitute the value of C to equation #2 to determine the value of V.
3 (50) + 1V = 170 >>> 150 + V = 170 >>> V = 170 – 150 >>> V = 20
- Given that we know the value for each variable, we can now answer the main question of the problem, which to know the prices of a TRUCK and a TEDDY BEAR.
- By direct substitution, the prices, or the answers to our Mensa Problem, are:
TRAIN = 3C + 2V >>> 3 (50) + 2 (20) >>> 150 + 40 >>> TRUCK = $190.00
TEDDY BEAR = 6C + 3V >>> 6 (50) + 3 (20) >>> 300 + 60 >>> TEDDY BEAR = $360.00
Looking back, it was truly a great learning experience!
If only I encountered it in a UP MBA Reviewer.
Though I seemed to look crap in answering trick questions like those back then, it further helped me in dissecting and analyzing trick problems better; more so when I was accepted in the UP MBA Program.
The UP MBA Proficiency Exam also helped me gauge what subjects I need to sharpen my brain-tools on, in preparation for the grueling task of finishing the UP MBA program.
If you landed here just to find an MBA proficiency exam reviewer, you can check out the proficiency exam reviewers I used last 2012. Remember, I used this in 2012 and the exam questions may change this year.
MBA Proficiency Exam Reviewers
