GMAT Prep - Square root of x
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Please explain why is the answer -x. Completely stumped by this one.
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since the square root of a negative number is impossible on the GMAT, the expression under square root sign has to be positive
-x|x| will be positive only if x is negative. because negative x will take care of the minus sign under square roots.
let x=-2
-(-2)|-2| = 2*2 = 4 and squre root of 4 = 2 = -(-2) = -(x)
hope this helps.
-x|x| will be positive only if x is negative. because negative x will take care of the minus sign under square roots.
let x=-2
-(-2)|-2| = 2*2 = 4 and squre root of 4 = 2 = -(-2) = -(x)
hope this helps.
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Hi vikas,mehravikas wrote:Please explain why is the answer -x. Completely stumped by this one.
given x < 0,
and we know that |x| = -x when x < 0 and |x| = x when x > 0
so the eqn becomes
sqrt(-x(-x)) which is equal to -x. hence the choice is A.
Hope it helps!!