If line k in the xy-coordinate plane has the equation Ax + By = C, what is the slope of line k ?
(1) A = 2B
(2) C = 4B
OA A
Source: Magoosh
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If line k in the xy-coordinate plane has the equation Ax + B
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BTGmoderatorDC
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Brent@GMATPrepNow
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Given: Line k has the equation Ax + By = CBTGmoderatorDC wrote:If line k in the xy-coordinate plane has the equation Ax + By = C, what is the slope of line k ?
(1) A = 2B
(2) C = 4B
Target question: What is the slope of line k ?
This is a good candidate for rephrasing the target question.
Let's take the given equation Ax + By = C and rewrite it in slope y-intercept form, y = mx + b, where m = slope and b = y-intercept
GIVEN: Ax + By = C
Subtract Ax from both sides to get: By = -Ax + C
Divide both sides by B to get: y = -Ax/B + C/B
Rewrite to get: y = (-A/B)x + C/B
With the line's equation written in this form, we can see that line k has slope -A/B and y-intercept C/B
So, we can REPHRASE our target question....
REPHRASED target question: What is the value of -A/B ?
Aside: Here's a video with tips on rephrasing the target question: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... cy?id=1100
Statement 1: A = 2B
Divide both sides by B to get: A/B = 2
This means -A/B = -2
So, the answer to the REPHRASED target question is -A/B = -2
Since we can answer the REPHRASED target question with certainty, statement 1 is SUFFICIENT
Statement 2: C = 4B
Since we have no information about A, there's no way to determine the value of -A/B
Since we cannot answer the REPHRASED target question with certainty, statement 2 is NOT SUFFICIENT
Answer: A
Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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fskilnik@GMATH
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Important: from the stem we know (implicitly) that line k HAS a slope, i.e., line k is non-vertical, i.e., B is nonzero.BTGmoderatorDC wrote:If line k in the xy-coordinate plane has the equation Ax + By = C, what is the slope of line k ?
(1) A = 2B
(2) C = 4B
Source: Magoosh
$$Ax + By = C\,\,\,\,\,\mathop \Leftrightarrow \limits^{B\,\, \ne \,\,0} \,\,\,y\,\, = - {A \over B}\left( x \right)\,\, + \,\,{C \over A}$$
$$? = - {A \over B}$$
$$\left( 1 \right)\,\,\,A = 2B\,\,\,\,\mathop \Rightarrow \limits^{B\,\, \ne \,\,0} \,\,\,\,\,? = - {A \over B} = - 2\,\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm{SUFF}}.$$
$$\left( 2 \right)\,\,\,C = 4B\,\,\,\left\{ \matrix{
\,{\rm{Take}}\,\,\left( {A,B,C} \right) = \left( {1,1,4} \right)\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm{?}}\,\,\,{\rm{ = }}\,\, - 1\,\, \hfill \cr
\,{\rm{Take}}\,\,\left( {A,B,C} \right) = \left( {2,1,4} \right)\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm{?}}\,\,\,{\rm{ = }}\,\, - 2\,\, \hfill \cr} \right.\,\,\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,\,\,{\rm{INSUFF}}.$$
This solution follows the notations and rationale taught in the GMATH method.
Regards,
Fabio.
Fabio Skilnik :: GMATH method creator ( Math for the GMAT)
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