BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

What is the value of x?

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3650
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:27 am
Location: India
Thanked: 267 times
Followed by:80 members
GMAT Score:760

What is the value of x?

by sanju09 » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:39 am
What is the value of x?

1. (3/2) x + y = 3

2. (2/3) y + x = 2

ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THIS QUESTION:
https://www.west.net/~stewart/gmat/
The mind is everything. What you think you become. -Lord Buddha



Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com
Top
Source: — Data Sufficiency |
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:05 am
Thanked: 6 times

by shulapa » Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:11 am
This question can be answered In 10 seconds if you remember the law of equations (in order to solve N variables you need N equations), but more important the condition that every equation must be different than the others. In the question you see each statement has one equations, so automatically we can rule out A and B. We could have mistaken and gone with C, but closer inspection reveals that both of the equation are actually the same one.

Thus, IMO, E
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 110
Joined: Sun May 25, 2008 3:45 pm

by ajmoney09 » Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:32 pm
Answer is E....

You need two SEPERATE equations to solve for a variable if you have two different variables....

So in statement one u have a equation and in the second you have another boom your done....No your not this is the GMAT trap....

The equations are the exact same just the 3/2 from the first statemnt is moved to the second statement to apply it to y...

Take statement one and solve for x...you will get statement 2...

this makes these two equations the SAME....

Look out for this you will see it on the GMAT....

they do this quite often.
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 221
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:33 am
Thanked: 12 times
Followed by:1 members

by krisraam » Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:12 pm
Both the equations are same

Answer is E

Thanks
Raama
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3650
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:27 am
Location: India
Thanked: 267 times
Followed by:80 members
GMAT Score:760

by sanju09 » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:20 am
Good.

The correct response is (E). The two equations given are actually the same equation. (One way to confirm this is to multiply each term in the second equation by 3/2.) Given one linear equation in two variables, you cannot determine the value of one variable without knowing the value of the other. Thus, x has an infinite number of possible values.

ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THIS QUESTION:
https://www.west.net/~stewart/gmat/
The mind is everything. What you think you become. -Lord Buddha



Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1