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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Finite number of non-zero digits

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Source: — Data Sufficiency |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 133
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:43 am
Thanked: 12 times

by raju232007 » Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:03 am
This question has already been posted in this forum..Kindly use the search thread before posting questions

Well,consider this

To find whether a fraction is terminating or not
1.Prime factorize the denominator
2.If there is a prime factor besides 2 or 5 in the denominator,the fraction represents a recurring decimal..

As per statement 2
q=8..and it contains only prime factor 2

Hence this information is sufficient to prove that the given fraction contains only a finite number of non zero digits...

Hence the ans should be B and not E...Hope this helps
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2623
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:17 amFollowed by: 355 members
Location: Montreal
Thanked: 1090 times
GMAT Score:780

by Ian Stewart » Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:55 am
raju232007 wrote: To find whether a fraction is terminating or not
1.Prime factorize the denominator
2.If there is a prime factor besides 2 or 5 in the denominator,the fraction represents a recurring decimal..
You need to add one step here, at the beginning:

1. Reduce your fraction completely

Otherwise, according to your test, 3/30 should be a recurring decimal; it's not, because it reduces to 1/10.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 133
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:43 am
Thanked: 12 times

by raju232007 » Sun Oct 12, 2008 4:14 am
Yeah..sure..Thanks for your input...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:42 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 2 times

by vineetbatra » Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:12 pm
[quote="Ian Stewart
You need to add one step here, at the beginning:

1. Reduce your fraction completely

Otherwise, according to your test, 3/30 should be a recurring decimal; it's not, because it reduces to 1/10.[/quote]

Hello Ian,

I tend to agree with you, P her can be 8 or 16, but can you please explain what do you mean by "Reduce your fraction completely"

Also raju mentioned that "If there is a prime factor besides 2 or 5 in the denominator,the fraction represents a recurring decimal", so in other words if my denominator is 30, then my prime factors are 2,3,5 and 30 will not lead a finite fraction, however if my denominator is 10 then 8, then it will lead a finite factor.

Please explain.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2623
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:17 amFollowed by: 355 members
Location: Montreal
Thanked: 1090 times
GMAT Score:780

by Ian Stewart » Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:24 pm
vineetbatra wrote: I tend to agree with you, P her can be 8 or 16, but can you please explain what do you mean by "Reduce your fraction completely"

Also raju mentioned that "If there is a prime factor besides 2 or 5 in the denominator,the fraction represents a recurring decimal", so in other words if my denominator is 30, then my prime factors are 2,3,5 and 30 will not lead a finite fraction, however if my denominator is 10 then 8, then it will lead a finite factor.

Please explain.
By 'reduce your fraction', I mean 'cancel any divisors common to the numerator and denominator'. The fraction 21/30 is not reduced, because we can cancel a 3 from the top and bottom; the fraction is equivalent to 7/10. If you know the denominator of a fraction is 30, you cannot be certain whether its decimal equivalent will terminate, since it may be that the 3 in the denominator cancels with a 3 in the numerator. If it does, the decimal will terminate, and if it does not, the decimal will repeat.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1