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Real Number (OG13, p,202, Q51)

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Real Number (OG13, p,202, Q51)

by schao » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:53 am
The question says: If y is an integer, then the least possible value of |23-5y| is
A)1 B)2 C)3 D)4 E)5

Can somebody please tell me what does the question want me to do? Because 23-5y canno equal to 0 if y is an integer right?

Thanks
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by gander123 » Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:37 am
Hey Schao,

I assume that you know what the absolute value means ?!

If y is an integer, deduct a multiple of 5 from 23, look at the absolute value of this expression and decide whether you have reached the smallest possible value.

Try this for y = 4 and y = 5:

|23-5*4|= |23-20| = |3| = 3

|23-5*5| = |23-25| = |-2| = 2

You will never arrive at a difference of 1 by deducting multiples of 5 from 23.

Cheers,

Tobi
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by e-GMAT » Sun Jan 13, 2013 11:16 pm
schao wrote:The question says: If y is an integer, then the least possible value of |23-5y| is
A)1 B)2 C)3 D)4 E)5

Can somebody please tell me what does the question want me to do? Because 23-5y canno equal to 0 if y is an integer right?

Thanks
The least possible value of an absolute expression would always be '0'. So let's equate 23-5y=0. This gives y=4.6. But given in the question is- y is an integer. So the nearest value of y could be 4 or 5. With y=4, 23-5y gives 3, & with y=5, 23-5y gives 2. Since 2 being the lowest, So 2 is the answer.

-Shalabh
Last edited by e-GMAT on Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by mani639 » Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:43 am
Hi Shalabh,

Y=5 is not the answer.
Question asks the value for |23-5y| and NOT for y.

The value of |23-5y| will be least (2) if y = 5.
So the answer would be 2. Option B.

- Mani
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