question on number properties with square roots

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Hello

How can i do the problem below in a faster way/shortcut:

Organize the following numbers from lowest to biggest:

-√5/5 , -√7/7 , -5/√5 , -7/√7 , -1

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by Anurag@Gurome » Wed Feb 20, 2013 2:25 am
amyhussein wrote:Organize the following numbers from lowest to biggest:

-√5/5 , -√7/7 , -5/√5 , -7/√7 , -1
Let us ignore the minus sign as of now.
√5/5 = 1/√5 < 1
√7/7 = 1/√7 < 1
5/√5 = √5 > 1
7/√7 = √7 > 1

Now, √5 < √7 ---> 1/√5 > 1/√7

Hence, 1/√7 < 1/√5 < 1 < √5 < √7

Now, we'll introduce the minus signs, i.e. we'll multiply each of them with -1.
Hence, the order will get reversed.

Hence, required order ---> -7/√7 < -5/√5 < -1 < -√5/5 < -√7/7
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by amyhussein » Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:08 am
will the numbers relation for such type of problems still work if we square them all ? then add the -ve sign, so its easier to deal with solid numbers than roots?

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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:56 am
amyhussein wrote:Hello

How can i do the problem below in a faster way/shortcut:

Organize the following numbers from lowest to biggest:

-√5/5 , -√7/7 , -5/√5 , -7/√7 , -1
To organize the values in the correct order, we need to determine their RELATIVE distances from 0.
Since all of the values are negative, the GREATER the distance from 0, the SMALLER the value.
To determine the relative distances, square all of the values and retain the negative signs:
-√5/5 --> -(√5/5)² = -1/5

-√7/7 --> -(√7/7)² = -1/7

-5/√5 --> -(5/√5)² = -5

-7/√7 --> -(7/√7)² = -7

-1 --> -(1²) = -1


The least value = the value furthest from 0 = -7/√7.
The greatest value = the value closest to 0 = -√7/7.
From least to greatest:

-7/√7, -5/√5, -1, -√5/5, -√7/7.
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