Fractions

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Fractions

by vineetbatra » Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:21 pm
Q. X, Y>0, If X^3 = Y, is Y a fraction?
a) X^2 is a fraction.
b) X > Y.

In choice A above does it mean that x^2 is a proper fraction i.e. less than 1 or can we assume that a fraction can be greater than 1. There are 2 types of fractions, proper (<1)and improper (>1).

Can someone shed some light.
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by Ian Stewart » Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:24 pm
The question is meaningless. To say something is 'a fraction' describes how it is written (it has a numerator and a denominator); fractions are not a special category of number. Any number can be written as a fraction - the number 2 can be written as 2/1, the number -sqrt(2) can be written as -sqrt(2)/1. I don't know where the question is from, but it's not a good question.
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by vineetbatra » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:08 pm
Thanks Ian,

The source of this question is one of the "sets". Maybe by fraction they meant an non-integer, if that being the case then B would be correct?

Vineet