Decision Making: Manager Room Allocation

XAT 2011 · Decision Making · Medium · Data Interpretation

Passage / data set

Answer question based on the following information.

Alex Company has its office at the third floor of a multi - storied building in Mumbai. There are 5 rooms to be allotted to 5 managers (designated M1 to M5), each of whom will occupy one room. Each room has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some have the sea view, while others are closer to either the lift or the dining room, while some are more spacious. Each of the five managers was asked to rank the room preferences amongst the rooms 301, 302, 303, 304 and 305. Their preferences were recorded as follows:

PreferenceM1M2M3M4M5
1st302302303302301
2nd303304301305302
3rd304305304304305
4th301305303
5th302

Some managers did not indicate any preference for some rooms, as they did want to be there under any condition. The company decided to allot rooms to managers in such a way that the managers get rooms as per their best preference or close to that.

Question 1 of 3

How many managers would get their rooms as per their best preference?

  1. A.

    1

  2. B.

    2

  3. C.

    3

  4. D.

    4

  5. E.

    5

Answer

C

Explanation

Room 301 goes to M5 (1st preference). Room 303 goes to M3 (1st preference). Room 302 goes to M1 (1st preference). M2 gets 304 (2nd preference) and M4 gets 305 (2nd preference). Total getting 1st preference = 3.

Question 2 of 3

If manager X gets his/her 1st choice, then his/her preference ranking is 1 and so on. Management decided to allot rooms so that the sum of the preference ranking of all the managers is minimized. What is the total preference ranking for the rooms allotted to all the managers?

  1. A.

    5

  2. B.

    6

  3. C.

    7

  4. D.

    8

  5. E.

    9

Answer

C

Explanation

With allotment (M1-302, M2-304, M3-303, M4-305, M5-301), ranks are 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 7.

Question 3 of 3

Suppose that Manager M2 decides not to join the new zonal office and Manager M6 takes his place. Manager M6 has the following preference ranking in decreasing order: 301, 302, 303, 304 - in this case what would be the sum of the preference ranking allotted to all five managers?

  1. A.

    5

  2. B.

    6

  3. C.

    7

  4. D.

    8

  5. E.

    9

Answer

E

Explanation

Evaluating optimal assignment with M6 gives total sum of ranks = 1 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 3 = 9.

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