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Errors in the OG 11th edition?

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Errors in the OG 11th edition?

by comrade » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:00 am
Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if there's a chance some of the OG questions/answer explanations may be flawed. I realize they are taken from actual GMAT tests and probably checked 20 times but some explanations just don't make sense to me.

For example, in the OG GMAT Review (the thick orange book), Problem Solving question #20 (page 154) gives you 5 #'s and asks for the one with the greatest absolute value. The numbers are:

-2, -1, 0, 1, 2

Since the absolute value of -2 and 2 are both 2, there seem to be 2 answers to the question. Yet the official answer (page 194) states that "-2 is farthest from 0 and is therefore the answer"

Am I missing something totally obvious or is there actually an error in the book?

Thanks in advance for your advice!
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Re: Errors in the OG 11th edition?

by Ian Stewart » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:52 pm
comrade wrote:For example, in the OG GMAT Review (the thick orange book), Problem Solving question #20 (page 154) gives you 5 #'s and asks for the one with the greatest absolute value. The numbers are:

-2, -1, 0, 1, 2
In my version of the book, there is a number line, with five labeled points. While A points exactly to -2, E does not point exactly to 2; E is slightly less than 2. That said, this is one of the questions that was misprinted in earlier editions of the book- if you have a misprinted copy, I may be able to dig up the pdf file with the corrections in it. All but the earliest editions of the book should have been updated with these corrections, so most people won't need that file.
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by comrade » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:15 pm
Ian, many thanks for the reply!

You're absolutely right about the number line in the question, I simplified it slightly to make sure I get the right idea across.

My OG guide is 11th edition and I've purchased it a week ago here in Toronto. However, point "E" points right at "2" in the question and I thought I was going crazy there for a moment before you chimed in :)

So thanks again and if that pdf file is handy I'd love to get it but I wouldn't want to cause any hassle!
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by Ian Stewart » Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:29 am
comrade- try this link:

www.mba.com/NR/rdonlyres/B6424CFB-B6BA- ... l82006.pdf

If that doesn't work, let me know, and I'll post the file. The above links to a five page pdf which contains the corrections to the earlier editions of the OG, 11th edition. Most people won't need the file- as I understand, newer versions of the book (or at least the one I own) have already been corrected.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

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by comrade » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:48 pm
thanks mate, it does work :) really appreciate it!
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