How many of the 61 companies did NOT say they intended to continue? (Passage: The four-day week trial)

A trial of a four-day working week involved 61 companies and about 2,900 employees over six months. Staff kept their full pay but worked 80 per cent of their usual hours. At the end, 56 of the companies said they intended to continue the arrangement, and 18 of them made it permanent immediately. Average revenue across participating firms rose by a small margin, although the researchers cautioned that the companies had volunteered and may not represent the wider economy. Staff reported lower stress, and resignations fell by more than half.

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. 5

  1. Step 1: Subtract the companies intending to continue from the total. Step 2. 61 - 56 = 5, and the 18 who made it permanent are already inside the 56. Answer: 5. Why not the others: 18 counts only those who acted at once; 43 subtracts 18 from 61, which wrongly treats them as the only continuers; 56 is the number continuing.

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