Case_In_Point_7th_Edition_Page001_183_2

than whether your assumptions are correct.
If your assumptions are way off, they will tell you; otherwise they’ll let it go.
Base your assumptions on some sort of logic; otherwise the interviewer might press you on how
you drew that conclusion.
You can group several assumptions into one number (i.e., the 20% takes into account X, Y and Z.)
M ath
Estimate or round off numbers to make calculation easier.
Write all numbers down.
Examples are:
Hw many gas stat ns i are there i nthe U S ?
Hw many garen hses w s ere i nthe U Sastyear?
Hw many pairs f bxers s are i nthe U Seach year?
Hw mu ch oes a 7 4 w7
eigh?
Although they seem similar, these are four very different questions. Here are some hints:
• First of all, there are no right answers. Even if you had just read a Forbes magazine article on the
number of gas stations and could recite the exact total, the consultants wouldn’t care. They want to see
how logically you answer the question.
• All you really have to work with are logic and assumptions. If your assumptions are too far off, the
interviewer will tell you; otherwise, guesstimate.
• Use easy numbers — round up or down.
Write the numbers down. Half of your brain is trying to figure out how best to answer this question
and the other half is trying to remember the sum you just figured. Write the numbers down so you
can focus on the process, not the numbers.
D et ermi ne if this is a pp uat base n- i q n uest huseh i a q n uest i an i ni ua v i
q uest n i r Wh a “ thi ns kthis st uff u p ? q”
uest T n. i et ermi ne w hether i s t ’ a
pp n huseh uat i
r i ni ua v i q n uest i ask yursef if the iem use t is by a
pp n uat huseh i a r an i ni vua.
i
Hw many gas stat ns i are there i nthe U S (?
Pp uat n i q uest n) i
I live in a town with a population of 30,000. There are six gas stations serving our town (not really, but six
divides nicely into 30). Therefore, I’ll assume that each gas station serves about 5,000 customers. If the
population of the US is 300 million, I’ll just divide 300 million by 5,000 and get 60,000 gas stations in the