Let's list all 8 numbers in the sequence: -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2
Two of the values are POSITIVE

Answer: C

Cheers,
Brent

Hi All,

We're told that in a certain sequence of 8 numbers, each number after the first is 1 more than the previous number and that the first number is -5. We're asked for the number of numbers in the sequence that are POSITIVE.

As Brent has shown, the easiest approach here is to simply write out all of the values and 'count up' the number of positive ones. If a similar question were to include a much longer string of integers to consider, then writing out all of the numbers wouldn't be practical, so you'd have to think in term so the 'groups' of numbers involved. It's also important to make sure that you remember to include 0 among the values.

Since we're starting at -5, we know that we're going to go from -5 to -1, so that's 5 values.
The number 0 is neither positive, nor negative, but it IS an integer, so we have to include it. That's 1 value.
With 6 values accounted for - and 8 total values - then that means the remaining 2 values MUST be positive.

Final Answer: C

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

boomgoesthegmat wrote:In a certain sequence of 8 numbers, each number after the first is 1 more than the previous number. If the first number is -5, how many of the numbers in the sequence are positive?
A) None
B) One
C) Two
D) Three
E) Four

OA: C

From the information given in the problem, we see that the sequence is:

-5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2

So two terms are positive.

Answer: C